Pay it Forward: La Pine restaurant helps community by feeding those in need, no charge

La PINE, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Our Pay It Forward program recognizes people who make our community a better place to live, so a viewer's tip we received of a La Pine restaurant, Harvest Depot, that often gives people in need a free meal was very fitting for a salute.

The moment owner Joel Brader received the $500 award from Mid Oregon Credit Union and Dutch Bros Coffee of Central Oregon, he knew just what he was going to do with it.

"We'll put it directly towards feeding people in the month of December," Brader told us.

"It's kind of hard times, and some people don't have family at this point, so we just kind of surprise them," he said. "We don't tell them who it is, and we actually have another donor here in town that we we match dollar for dollar with them. And we feed people, - young, old - and we just buy them breakfast or lunch."

Brader said he would be nothing without the La Pine community, as locals and regulars are what keep Harvest Depot going.