Editors note: This story suggestion was submitted by Dan DeMarle at the 19th Ward Square Fair festival.

Tiffany Eady was homeless at one point in her life.

Now, as the owner of Brooks Landing Diner in the 19th Ward, she welcomes the unhoused community who frequent the restaurant looking for a bite to eat.

“It’s nice that you can come to a nice restaurant, sit down and eat and feel like you’re a part of the community and a normal person,” Eady said.

Eady purchased the restaurant in July, 2023 and wanted to make a difference so she instituted a free food board where those in need could use pre-purchased meal tickets, take them to the register, and wait for the diner chefs to begin their meal.

Brooks Landing serves Southern and Korean-style breakfast and lunch items, including shrimp and grits, stir-fried rice, sausage gravy biscuits, and various meat options.

Feeding America’s annual Map the Meal Gap report, which studies food insecurity across the country, found that Rochester has three zip codes among the state’s highest food-insecure communities.

One of those area codes, 14608, borders Rochester’s 19th Ward.

“We get families who sometimes don’t have enough money for breakfast,” Eady said. “One time, a father who had custody of his kids came in, and he didn’t have enough. It just touched my heart, so I just wanted to give back to the community in any way possible while I’m here.”

To express your interest in purchasing a meal to be added to the free food board, contact The Brooks Landing Diner through its Facebook page or call (585) 436-1234.

Alternatively, you can visit the diner and inform the cashier that you want to purchase a meal for the free food board.

“I’m just a little piece,” Tiffany Eady expressed. “I’m hoping that it [Free Food Board] will trickle around to other restaurants because there are a lot of homeless people in need of food. I’m hoping if someone sees me, they’ll try to do the same thing so that we can help each other.”

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Justice Marbury is the 19th Ward Reporter. She loves her energetic puppy, Hiro. Contact her on Instagram @justice_marbury and by email at jmarbury@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Brooks Landing Diner free food board fights food insecurity