Street Bean

Mission

Providing opportunity for street-involved young people to reclaim their lives, one cup at a time.

Description

We believe in a cup of coffee that impacts more than your taste buds. We're a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides street-involved youth the opportunity to reclaim their lives, one cup at a time. Every time you purchase a bag of our coffee, you fund one hour of job training for a young person exiting street life.

We train our apprentices with a professional curriculum developed by our staff to teach both the hard skills needed to be a great barista and the soft skills needed for long-term employment of any kind.

In partnership with New Horizons, we use empowering apprenticeships to train & employ young people seeking to exit street life to be your baristas. When you drink Street Bean Coffee, you're supporting young people in their journey off the streets and into sustainability.

Meet Lucien, 22

“I have practically spent my entire life with instability and I’m tired of it. But now I have time to focus on being stable. I have a job and housing lined up, and much of that is related to the staff at New Horizons. They were supportive as I rebuilt a basic rhythm for my life and worked on stability."

Lucien spent his childhood in Seattle and experienced a difficult relationship with his parents, who both passed away by the time he was 18. After his mother kicked him out for the second time and he had nowhere to turn, he was referred by a state caseworker to an area youth shelter. He moved between multiple temporary housing sites and was eventually evicted at the completion of the yearlong program. He turned to his brother who allowed him to store his belongings and stay for only a few weeks, but eventually returned to homelessness and living in shelter. 

Lucien eventually found his way to New Horizons and became a resident in the Nest Shelter, which provided a place to rest, start building a routine, and plan for stability. He worked with his case manager to pursue housing and stability, which seemed allusive throughout his life. 

This February, Lucien moved into housing and secured a job with Street Bean. He is dreaming about the next phase of his life and hopes one day to be a barista, baker, or even a legal librarian. He is grateful for the first stability he has had in a long time. We are so proud of all Lucien is accomplishing on his journey and can’t wait to see his successes continue!