500+
community members served through meals and groceries
← All organizations
Food Security · Asheville, NC · est. 2016
12 Baskets Cafe
A program of the Asheville Poverty Initiative, 12 Baskets Cafe serves free lunches made from rescued food in West Asheville — building community and economic justice by sharing meals across socioeconomic differences so stereotypes are dismantled, fear reduced, and hope empowered.
The recordOrg-reported · as of 2026-07-02
2,000+ lbs
of surplus food rescued each week
100%
rescued food, served by donation
Step upThree ways to act
Donate
Donations cover rent and materials so the table stays open to everyone — give cash or set up a monthly gift.
Donate →Volunteer
Help wait tables, wash dishes, or run the free grocery store — and pull up a chair to share a meal yourself. New-volunteer orientation is Thursdays at 10am.
Volunteer →Learn / Share
By eating beside someone you'd never otherwise meet, walls come down. Learn how a rescued-food cafe builds community across class lines.
Learn / Share →ProgramsWhat the work looks like
Free, by-donation lunch served Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri (11am–1pm) from rescued food
Free grocery store open during cafe hours
On-site wellness, tech help, chaplaincy, and creative writing gatherings
Realities of Poverty education program (Asheville Poverty Initiative)
Sources (public information, compiled independently): 12 Baskets Cafe · Asheville Poverty Initiative — Mission. Data as of 2026-07-02.