Matt Thomas, left, and Maddy Dovenspike dress up for the new Cafe on the Hill run by the Paul Laurence Dunbar Community Center near Butler High and Intermediate schools. Students leaving at the end of the class day can get a free snack at the cafe which will be open every other Wednesday.

Cafe on the Hill is giving Butler students getting out of school a free snack while they walk home.

The cafe, really a stand, is operated by the Paul Laurence Dunbar Community Center on Fairground Hill Road, just down the hill from the intermediate and high schools.

On Wednesday, the stand gave students pepperoni rolls, brownies, fruit, milk and other drinks at no charge.

Kate Donnelly, executive director of the center, said the stand is open from 2:45 to 4 p.m. every other Wednesday.

“Right now, we're starting slow,” she said.

Once the stand has a regular clientele, Donnelly said the center will survey those stopping by to see what kind of services could be offered in the future.

She said it is possible that the stand will be operational every week or multiple times a week, depending on demand.

The stand receives funding from the Jesus is Alive and Living campaign of the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, the United Way of Butler County, the state Department of Education and private donors.

It opened Oct. 16, and 45 people stopped by that day.

The cafe got an extra boost Wednesday by having two costumed people, Matt Thomas and Maddy Dovenspike, standing nearby to announce its presence, one dressed as a giraffe and the other as a tribal figure.

“Since Halloween is tomorrow, we figured that costumes would be a fun thing,” Donnelly said.

The costumes came from Puppets for Pittsburgh, a “library” of puppets and costumes that lets nonprofit groups borrow them for free.

The costumes were designed by Cheryl Capezzuti of Pittsburgh, who is the granddaughter of Gerald Capezzuti, a former Butler football coach.

Donnelly said that the stand also advertises the center, which she said gives students a place to go after school.

Joseph Santypal, a junior at Butler High School, said that he heard an announcement in school that the stand would be open and decided to check it out.

It turned out to be a good choice.

“It's the best pepperoni roll I've had in a good while,” Joseph said.

He said he would consider stopping back.

“That's pretty likely,” Santypal said.

Miranda Brady, a senior, came by for the second time Wednesday. In addition to the food, she said she liked the costumes.

“I think it's really cool,” she said.