Familiar Eyes
Her first visit to the Café was full of questions and curiosity. The frail woman was relatively new to the area, didn’t qualify for other local services, and was experiencing homelessness. She was in a very fragile place, but after a hot cup of coffee and warm plate of lasagna, she started to perk up. Our community embraced her immediately. She shared that she recently lost someone close to her and needed community and safety. She enrolled in the Grief and Loss class on Tuesdays at 11 a.m. Since joining, she has brought in or referred more than four people who also signed up as Members. She has become part of the RC family.
During a recent New Member Introduction, our staff asked if a young man had been to the Café before because he looked so familiar. Turns out, he was her adult son, and shared her eyes and nose! He had many ideas for classes. Whether it was a class for emotional regulation, creative journaling, or playing a part in our Monthly Talent Show/Open Mic, he was geared up to participate in our community.
Healing Community
After the introduction, he pulled our program manager to the side. He shook her hand, and said, “I want to thank you for what you’ve done for my mom. When we arrived here, we didn’t know anyone. We fought a lot. The stresses of loneliness and homelessness wore down on us. But for the past few weeks, she’s been coming here almost every day, and we haven’t been fighting. In fact, we’ve been able to be creative about solutions for our situation because our energy isn’t spent bickering. She has found healing and community in the short amount of time since discovering Recovery Café, and it makes me excited that that same experience can happen for me, too.”
Bigger Than Ourselves
Here at Recovery Café Longmont, we interact with a variety of people with diverse backgrounds. We’ve seen again and again how building their community at the Café has ripple effects in the community of our Members’ private lives. Our Members have reported that their moods have improved, their sense of safety is stronger, and they feel inspired by the day.
We are so thankful we get to be a small part in this family’s journey. Here at the Café, we are a part of something so much bigger than ourselves.