Decision Making

Trauma-informed considerations are integral to our decision making process as we serve a diverse population. We prioritize the well-being of ALL our guests, connecting to our core value of “Whole People.” We host SAME Community Meals for guests to communicate their ideas about services and programs that is then conveyed to the Local Boards. Local Boards also have a representative on the National Board so that concerns can be heard and addressed at all levels.

Intentional Design

Cafés are designed with attention to detail in a variety of ways including:

• Turning away from the popular “industrial chic” design elements (e.g., metal chairs, exposed pipes/hardware, exposed brick) found in modern restaurants as we recognize how those elements are also used in institutional settings like hospitals and prisons, or that some of our guests may have slept against exposed brick walls outside.
• Having a counter that is ADA accessible.
• Matching plates—see video below for an explanation on this one!
• Offering safe storage lockers for guests.
• Providing large community tables geared towards engagement for our guests that want some conversation, but not requiring this option.
• Having a number of small ‘introvert’ tables for people to sit if they want to be left alone. Being left alone in a community space is a privilege that people with means can access at expensive cafés and shops.

Video: Trauma-Informed Design Elements

Trauma-Informed Care

In the operations of our Cafés, we want to make sure all community members feel cared for and safe. If someone is not able to be in the community (e.g., drunk, high, or experiencing a dangerous mental wellness situation), then we ask them to leave and come back when they are able to participate again. Much of this work requires our team to be informed on de-escalation methods. Notions of restorative justice are also central in this approach. If someone creates damage, they need to take a break and then, at a later time, re-engage through some sort of restitution. We are willing to give guests opportunities to re-enter the community when they are ready as we know that the cycle of forgiveness is critical to strong communities. 

Annual Surveys

With our efforts to maintain a sense of privacy and normalcy among our diners, we cannot easily gather demographic data. Again, we have no in-take process because we are a restaurant. If you went to a regular restaurant, they would not screen you for this type of information so we do not either.

Instead, we use annual surveys to capture a snapshot of our community. These surveys are then used to create our demographic reports. See an example from SAME Denver of our annual report below. Be sure to also check out the PDFs at the bottom of this lesson to see examples of our survey in both English and Spanish.

Pictured: Infographic displaying SAME Denver's Annual Survey Results (2023)