THE GIVING PLATE
A Community-Centered Café Experience.
The Giving Plate began as a catering company and was ready to expand into a full-scale café and floral space. The goal was to create a space that felt like care made visible. Customers could buy a meal for themselves and choose to purchase a token which donates a meal or food to someone in need. As construction started on their business, they needed a brand that reflected their mission before the doors opened.
My Role
- Brand Identity
- Web Design
- Copywriting
- Email Marketing
- Motion Design
Built With Care
The Giving Plate built trust through genuine, face-to-face connection. The brand identity needed to carry that same spirit. After testing a few visual paths, one direction stood out: simple, rustic, and grounded. Earthy tones with subtle depth set the mood. The handcrafted character came through in Cratch, a display typeface rooted in tradition, balanced by the clean clarity of Raleway.
Extending Reach
The landing and SEO-focused targeted pages were built to expand reach through search and capture email signups for menu updates and events. We also created simple templates so the team could share social updates independently. The brand voice stayed approachable and personal, more like a friend sharing news than a business pushing a sale.
Today, we maintain their contact list in our CRM, create email campaigns, and build engagement automations.
One question shaped every decision: Does this feel genuine? We built a brand that doesn't need to impress - it welcomes people in and lets the mission speak for itself.
Whether buying a meal, donating one, or sharing a social media post each action drives this work forward.
Meals gifted into the community within the first year
Email open rate
(Avg. Across All Campaigns)
Press mentions & earned media after the launch
"Design is often a response to what is most needed. The Giving Plate is rooted in deep listening to its community. It acknowledges people and affirms their stories. The work feels local, yet the need it addresses is universal. Giving can seem abstract, but a physical space makes it real. Here, people gather, share, and build connections that grow beyond the walls."
-Lionel L.
Ready to build a brand that earns trust & inspires action?