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Leslie Shalabi, co-founder of Convivium Urban Farmstead in Dubuque, said when she opened her restaurant she wanted to make sure it was as inclusive as possible.

Early in 2020, Convivium Urban Farmstead proprietors instituted a monthly Pay-What-You-Can Day, allowing customers to ignore traditional menu prices and, instead, decide what they can afford.

Convivium grows its own produce for use in an on-site restaurant and during hands-on classes devoted to nutritious eating.

The restaurant’s menu changed, and Convivium backed away from hands-on instruction to minimize health risks.

More than 100 of the households have children, and a survey by Convivium indicated that 48% of the recipient households had total incomes of less than $25,000.