Who We Are
One Grub Community Diner is El Paso’s only 100% plant based diner with a community supported Pay It Forward meal program. We share space with the non profit initiative, Planty for the People 501(c)3. Together they aim to provide meals, education and access to fresh, plant based foods for the community. Join us won’t you? We provide dine in, take out, online ordering, local vegan market products and in diner Pay it Forward meals.
Pay It Forward Meal Program
Our Pay It Forward (PIF) meal program is a community supported food access initiative that utilizes tip funds and pre-purchased meal tokens to provide nutritious and thoughtfully prepared plant-based meals to anyone in need.
Our demographics: We are located inside of First Christian Church, within the Rio Grande Neighborhood just outside of downtown El Paso, Texas. Our neighborhood lies within a low-income, food desert which means there is little to no access to fresh foods within a walkable distance. Being that we are located within a church building, we do get community members who are unhoused, food insecure and/or in need. Our PIF program allows us to provide at least one meal a day to anyone in need regardless of circumstances/ability to pay.
How does it work?
In need of a PIF meal? Thanks to our community, we got you! Come by during our business hours and talk to our staff about our Pay if Forward meal program. Anyone in need qualifies for up to one meal a day!
Help us feed those in need:
- Purchase a meal token. Meal tokens can be purchased on site, online or in person. Our meal tokens are physical tokens that can be left with us for walk ins in need or can be taken with you and distributed as you wish. All tokens are redeemable onsite only and can allow someone almost any item off the menu.
- Add a tip to your order with us. Tips are converted into physical meal tokens.
How does it work?
In need of a PIF meal? Thanks to our community, we got you! Come by during our business hours and talk to our staff about our Pay if Forward meal program. Anyone in need qualifies for up to one meal a day!
Help us feed those in need:
- Purchase a meal token. Meal tokens can be purchased on site, online or in person. Our meal tokens are physical tokens that can be left with us for walk ins in need or can be taken with you and distributed as you wish. All tokens are redeemable onsite only and can allow someone almost any item off the menu.
- Add a tip to your order with us. Tips are converted into physical meal tokens.
Why We Do This
We strongly believe that every community should have a space and the ability to sustain and take care of each other’s basic human need and right to healthy food access, education, and a safe place to give and receive community assistance in a non-judgmental setting, and with integrity. We also believe that access to healthy food is a right rather than a privilege and that our practices create a symbiotic flow of mindful giving and receiving. These systems, The PIF community diner, the garden education and other initiatives, the vegan menu, and the warm inviting communal space are breaking down barriers in our community and have created a way for people to easily give back; for people to easily obtain a fresh meal even if they have specialty diets that are restrictive and, of course, provide a nutrient dense freshly prepared meal to anyone whether they can pay for it or not.
How to Support Us and Our Work
There are lots of ways to support our mission.
- Purchase a PIF meal token, gift card, merch or meal with us.
- Leave a tip on your order to help us provide meals to anyone in need.
- Make a monetary donation to our sister nonprofit, Planty for the People. There is also an option to make recurring donations automatically which helps significantly.
How to Support Us and Our Work
There are lots of ways to support our mission.
- Purchase a PIF meal token, gift card, merch or meal with us.
- Leave a tip on your order to help us provide meals to anyone in need.
- Make a monetary donation to our sister nonprofit, Planty for the People. There is also an option to make recurring donations automatically which helps significantly.
Planty for the People
Planty for the People (PFTP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit urban farm put in place to teach, support, and encourage our local community to grow food in the desert. (Yes! It is very possible!). From seed to harvest, volunteers learn, firsthand, the ins and outs of desert farming and gardening with a concentration on soil health and plant care through various composting methodologies and practices. They utilize the 53 on-site garden beds to produce a variety of produce that will either be sold at donation pricing in the OGC market, be bought by OGC to utilize in their menus, or distributed to local food boxes, all creating access to fresh, locally sourced produce to the people of El Paso.
To reduce waste and increase sustainability, Planty composts 100% of the OGC kitchen’s food scraps as part of their education and partnership with the diner and sustainability practices
They also have created a community pantry located just outside of the entry doors to the diner. There, members of the community can give and receive nonperishable food items and other necessary products 24 hours a day. Lastly, PFTP provides a regional seed hub free to the public, located inside the diner during business hours.
Planty for the People (PFTP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit urban farm put in place to teach, support, and encourage our local community to grow food in the desert. (Yes! It is very possible!). From seed to harvest, volunteers learn, firsthand, the ins and outs of desert farming and gardening with a concentration on soil health and plant care through various composting methodologies and practices. They utilize the 53 on-site garden beds to produce a variety of produce that will either be sold at donation pricing in the OGC market, be bought by OGC to utilize in their menus, or distributed to local food boxes, all creating access to fresh, locally sourced produce to the people of El Paso.
To reduce waste and increase sustainability, Planty composts 100% of the OGC kitchen’s food scraps as part of their education and partnership with the diner and sustainability practices
They also have created a community pantry located just outside of the entry doors to the diner. There, members of the community can give and receive nonperishable food items and other necessary products 24 hours a day. Lastly, PFTP provides a regional seed hub free to the public, located inside the diner during business hours.
Volunteer With Us!
Interested in volunteering with us or have questions about our programs?
Please email or DM on Facebook or Instagram to sign up and more.
- Garden days are Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday mornings.
- All volunteers must be scheduled. We do not accept drop-ins.
- Age requirements: (14-17 year-olds with guardians) and up.
- Group scheduling: We can schedule in small groups of 10 max. (depending on volunteer capacity).
Meet the Founders
Roman & Adriana Wilcox
Husband and Wife duo since 2001, Roman and Adriana Wilcox are both El Paso, TX natives who have always found ways to serve the community and to work together throughout the journey of their marriage.
Roman is the co-owner and Executive Chef of the Diner and cofounder and Community Food Educator of Planty for the People. He comes with nearly three decades of culinary industry experience in fine dining, culinary education, nonprofit work and other community engagement projects. You can catch him at the diner or as a semifinalist on HBO Max’s first season of The Big Brunch, starring Dan Levy, Sohla El-Waylly, and Will Guidara.
Adriana is the co-owner and Administrative Manager of the diner, as well as cofounder, Executive Director and Chief Urban Farmer/Educator of Planty for the People. She has a background and degree in Business Administration, nonprofit work and has completed the Farmer Fellowship Training Program through La Semilla Food Center and is currently a mentor through the same cohort.
Roman is the co-owner and Executive Chef of the Diner and cofounder and Community Food Educator of Planty for the People. He comes with nearly three decades of culinary industry experience in fine dining, culinary education, nonprofit work and other community engagement projects. You can catch him at the diner or as a semifinalist on HBO Max’s first season of The Big Brunch, starring Dan Levy, Sohla El-Waylly, and Will Guidara.
Adriana is the co-owner and Administrative Manager of the diner, as well as cofounder, Executive Director and Chief Urban Farmer/Educator of Planty for the People. She has a background and degree in Business Administration, nonprofit work and has completed the Farmer Fellowship Training Program through La Semilla Food Center and is currently a mentor through the same cohort.
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