A job at a coffee shop is often an entry level position, but New City Cafe and Coffee Connection are two cafes in Rochester that offer more than just a paycheck.
441 Ministries opened New City Cafe, in 2017 on Parsells Avenue on property that was vacant for a year and a half. It’s part of their “reneighboring” process that’s included families moving into the Beechwood neighborhood.
“The ultimate vision is to see this corner of Beechwood revitalized,” said John Lee, executive director of New City Cafe. His hope is that more micro businesses move into the neighborhood to add more jobs.
In addition to operating the cafe, 441 Ministries offers a club for teens and another for younger kids in the neighborhood. Lee noticed that as children grew into their preteen and teen years, there was less frequent attendance at the programs of 441 Ministries and sought a way to reverse it. The New City Cafe has hired five teenagers with the goal of them becoming shift managers with enough experience.
“We’re learning about our neighborhood just as much as they are learning how to work in a coffeehouse,” said Lee.
Another goal is to be certified by the Barista Guild of America and the Specialty Coffee Association of America. One of the teenagers wanted to work at a specialty coffee shop but was told that she didn’t have enough experience, but she was able to work for New City Cafe.
Another nonprofit that has opened a cafe is Coffee Connection, at 681 South Ave. in South Wedge. Nancy Sawyer-Molina opened Coffee Connection in 2001 to help struggling women in Rochester obtain work and skills. However by 2011, Sawyer-Molina was looking to close the cafe. She mentioned this to her friend Joy Bergfalk, and Project Empower took over ownership.
Bergfalk started Project Empower in 2006, a nonprofit designed to give work experience to women recovering from drug addiction. At that point, there were no employees but today there are 16.
“I believe a life is a terrible thing to waste and there are a lot of hurdles for people with histories of addiction, trauma, and incarceration,” said Bergfalk.
Coffee Connection opened a second location, the Greenhouse Cafe in 2012. It is located at 2271 East Main St. inside a former greenhouse, where each spring the employees plant vegetables.
Sara Corter is the roaster but performs several other duties such as event coordination. She was addicted to cocaine for 20 years and lied and stole to keep it up. Corter is a survivor of two abusive marriages, experiences that prompted her drug use.
“I used because I felt guilt and shame about being beat and lying to family members and friends,” she said.
But today, she has been 10 years sober.
Via RochesterWorks, Corter participated in a work experience program at Coffee Connection. Six months into the program, Bergfalk offered Corter a full-time job.
“There’s been no deaths of women that work with us,” said Corter. “We have lost a quite a few however of those that leave us, as well as their family members.”
Corter additionally tutors students at Eastridge High School for three days a week. The employees have formed a bond where they view each other as friends and even as a family. They have a meeting every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. to discuss any personal or business matters, and welcome any newcomers.
“If I do have something I’m struggling with, I always share. I vent with the girls,” she said.
According to Bergfalk, her employees are often from halfway houses or also have a work experience program. The employees receive one-on-one time to learn life skills such as communication, self-calming, and conflict transformation.
“Our way of working with people with addiction is unique because we start with what’s right with people, not with what’s wrong with people,” said Bergfalk.
This story by Brian Boye is part of a journalism collaboration between WXXI and St. John Fisher College, giving aspiring student journalists the opportunity to report on and create stories for WXXI listeners, viewers, and readers.