A Somerville, MA student has decided to turn dumpster diving finds into healthy, free meals for locals.
Maximus Thaler, a Tufts University senior, is the brains behind this newest “grocery store” based cafe called The Gleaners’ Kitchen, which is set to open this summer.
Thaler gained media attention when he started a Kickstarter campaign to raise money to open the cafe in his apartment. The project will receive funding tomorrow (at the end of the scheduled campaign), and The Gleaners’ Kitchen will receive more than double it’s original $1,500 collection goal.
The Gleaners’ Kitchen is expected to open in Thaler’s apartment this summer. He and his team will serve food 24 hours a day, with a daily meal served at 6 p.m. Guests can always expect coffee, tea, and lentil soup to be available.
While it’s certainly a controversial cafe, Thaler hopes to turn waste into wealth by offering these free meals. While people are welcome to donate, The Gleaners’ Kitchen won’t charge a fee. The money raised from the Kickstarter campaign will go towards initial opening costs.