TAMPA, Fla. (WFTS) — Day after day, Karen Carr, the owner of Moxie's Cafe serves up breakfast and lunch for people downtown. The restaurant accepts all forms of payment, including a lesser-known Breadcoin.
"It feels good, it feels good to help somebody that needs it," said Carr.
Shaun Drinkard, the interim president of Tampa Downtown Partnership, sees it as a revolutionary new way to feed those who otherwise wouldn't be able to afford a meal.
"It's not necessarily a perishable food item that needs to be distributed in a certain time. It's a financial investment into future opportunities for food," he said.
This currency is worth more than just the price of a sandwich.
"The businesses all see the value in there of giving back and bigger community efforts to reach out to those that are in need, not just those that are coming in and paying at the register," he added.
The idea originated in Washington, D.C. in 2016. Tampa is the second city for the venture. It launched locally in early 2023.
Here's how it works: A physical token is worth $2.50. Anyone can buy the coins to distribute. Participating restaurants will accept them just like any other form of money. Breadcoin then collects the coins and reimburses the restaurant once a month.
It's become a big hit with the Downtown Partnership.
"This has been a great opportunity for us to partner with Breadcoin to bring a person into a local business, have a meal with him with our homeless liaison, and then talk through the needs and the items in which they need to improve their life and get off the streets," said Drinkard.
"Miss June will come in, and she'll, you know, buy three or four sandwiches and then go out and disperse them to whoever needs them," Carr said of the Downtown Partnership's Homeless Liaison.
While it's been a great tool for feeding unhoused people, Drinkard said it's also a great way to help teens and the elderly get an extra meal.
There are about half a dozen participating restaurants with plans for expanding.
"This by no means is something tied to simply downtown. That's really kind of our efforts with the Tampa Downtown Partnership. But this is something that could grow into a regional and national level," he said.
If you would like to purchase Breadcoin or get involved, go here.
