Why this community-based model works

Support Local

Local restaurants are trusted community hubs — people engage there, and posting free meal receipts in a public board fosters inclusion and visibility.

Community Support

We build resilience locally: when national systems are under strain (as they are now) the community steps in.

By bridging donors, diners, restaurants and residents, we keep support within the local economy (Austell, Mableton, Cobb County).

Pay it forward model

The gift from one person triggers kindness for another — hence “Chain Reaction”.

No Stigma

This model aims to preserve dignity. A person in need comes in, takes a free-meal receipt like anybody else, eats confidently, and walks away without stigma.

How it works (for restaurants, donors, diners, community)

Sign up with FGI via the QR code (see flyer) or the website.
Print and display the Chain Reaction flyer in a visible place (entrance, community board, cashier).
When a customer pays for a “meal for someone in need,” the restaurant issues a receipt and posts it.
When a guest in need uses the receipt, the restaurant records it (for monthly summary) and alerts FGI for tracking impact.

For participating restaurants:

1

At a participating restaurant, ask to add a “pre-paid meal” to your tab or pay it directly.
Or donate online via the FGI website (see donation section below) so FGI can distribute meal-vouchers to restaurants in bulk.

For donors / diners who want to give:

2

Visit any participating restaurant and look for the Chain Reaction community board or flyer.
If you find a posted receipt labelled “Free Meal – Take One”, bring it to the cashier and enjoy your meal.
No identification, no judgement, just kindness.

For community members in need:

3

We partner with local restaurants in Austell & Mableton.
We monitor how many meals donated vs redeemed.
We allocate donor funds to restaurants or ingredients for food-meals during winter months for families in need.
We report publicly (quarterly) on impact: number of meals donated, number redeemed, restaurants involved, and stories of human connection.

For FGI’s oversight:

4

We help. We don’t judge.

We believe that dignity matters. We believe kindness matters. Chain Reaction is about generosity, trust, and community coming together.

What is Chain Reaction?

Chain Reaction is a community-based meal initiative launched by Fertile Ground Inc. & True Alchemy Gardens, Inc. in partnership with local restaurants, residents, and generous donors. The idea is simple:

Meal Purchased + Posted

A customer chooses to “purchase a meal for someone in need” at a participating restaurant.

Taken by someone in need

The restaurant prints a meal-receipt and places it on a community board or flyer display near the entrance, labelled “Free Meal – Take One”

Meal Served

Anyone in need who comes into that restaurant can pick up one of the pre-paid meal receipts, bring it to the cashier, and receive the meal. No questions asked.

Why this matters, now

Am I my brother's keeper?

In recent months our national economy has been shaken by a prolonged federal funding shutdown. According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the shutdown could cost the U.S. economy between $7 billion and $14 billion, and shave up to 2 % off GDP in the fourth quarter.
More than 700,000 federal workers have been furloughed without pay, and the ripple-effects are spreading into local workforces, families, and households.
Here in Cobb County, Austell and Mableton, these financial pressures show up in real ways: families skipping meals, jobs lost or uncertain, rent or utility bills stacking up, and local restaurants facing tighter margins. FGI believes that in times like this, community care matters more than ever.