Micah S.I.P.S. Cafe
Donation protected
Hello and Welcome!
If you’re the kind of person who wants to help us create a community cafe in a low-income neighborhood in Pontiac, near Detroit, Michigan, thanks so much! We’ll try to help you help us.
The Epic Story
Here’s what’s been going on: We (Susanna and Josh) lived in Asia (Korea, Japan, China) for six years. Airen joined us three years in, and we changed course. We set our hearts on opening our own place -- a place that would enable us to spend our time working together and loving on people. Soon after this dream took root, we came back and traveled around America to reconnect with friends and family.
We almost stayed in America, but the dream carried us back to Japan to begin the journey and open a tiny drink shop in our home. After a year of learning and loving it, we had come to a fork in the road. We knew that if we stayed in Japan any longer, we’d need to take our cafe to the next level and put down roots in Kagoshima.
We began to pray about opportunities to move our family and our cafe to America, and those prayers were answered very swiftly in the form of a conversation with our college friend Coleman Yoakum.
He had founded a faith-based community-building NPO called Micah 6, and an opportunity had come to buy a small building and open a produce shop—but it would utilize only half the space. While discussing the best use of the other half, the idea of a cafe came up…
As soon as he told us, we all came to the same conclusion: it was time for us to join Micah 6 and open our cafe there. So we moved to China for a year while Micah 6 got busy readying the place, then we moved back to America at the beginning of 2016. We’ve been here in Pontiac since April, settling in and preparing.
Preparing what, you ask?
The Awesomeness
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly,
to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your God.”
Micah 6:8 is the verse that inspires both our name and our mission. We grow gardens, give rides, raise chickens, share the gospel, counsel addicts, care for children, and open the doors of our homes. After five years of setting this foundation, we are ready to begin the next phase of making Pontiac a better place to live and thrive.
We see our cafe as the natural balance to the produce shop with which we’ll share our building: they provide the live, we provide the thrive. One of the most vital aspects of a thriving community is a place to gather and connect, and to experience the simple and powerful state of being together. There is no such place in our neighborhood, and many of our neighbors don’t have access to cars or adequate public transportation. In addition to filling this void, our cafe will serve as a meeting place for the church, Alcoholics Anonymous, and community events.
There will be non-alcoholic drinks from all over the world, smoothies and shakes made by partnering with Sprout (the produce shop), music, art, photography, and stories. Because we are hoping that people will take the time to branch out and experience the local and international community, with all its flavors, cultures, colors and variety—and also because we want to encourage people to drink slowly and thoughtfully—we chose to name our cafe Micah S.I.P.S.
S.I.P.S. stands for Serving In Pontiac by Sharing. We will be offering our drinks at a very low price, and there will always be at least one drink served at no cost, so that anyone can come and share a cup. We earn our livelihood elsewhere, and any profits will go back into the community through Micah 6. We hope this will encourage rich and poor alike to reconsider the connection between value and money, and connect with each other instead.
How can this idealistic endeavor take effect in the real world?
That’s where you come in!
The Need
We are doing everything as cheaply and DIY as possible, but unfortunately there are some things we need to open S.I.P.S. that simply require money. These include a commercial-grade sink, a starting inventory of teas and coffee, and fees for business licenses, among other things.
So! We are asking you to give any amount you are willing to help us open our humble little cafe. Despite how cliche it has become to say this truth, we are extremely reluctant to ask for money, and we do not take lightly the generosity we are asking of you. We will genuinely appreciate every donation, and we will never forget that S.I.P.S. is only made possible through support by formidable allies like you.
Here’s how you can support us:
Give:
$20 — which can buy a pound of responsibly sourced tea or coffee
$50 — which can buy a hot water dispenser for teas and pour over coffee
$100 — which can buy a health-department-approved storage rack
$200 — which can buy an induction heater
$300 — which can buy a used professional blender
$400 — which can buy a three-compartment sink
$500 — which can buy a coffee grinder
If you’re interested in a full list of our needs, let us know!
We estimate that we can open the cafe for around $7,000.
After the initial setup, we plan to make the cafe self-sufficient, so your one-time donation will spur this ministry on for years.
Everything you give helps, so thank you for your investment in our community, in our church, and in S.I.P.S.
We love you all and thank you for helping in any way you can,
-Josh, Susanna and Airen
If you’re the kind of person who wants to help us create a community cafe in a low-income neighborhood in Pontiac, near Detroit, Michigan, thanks so much! We’ll try to help you help us.
The Epic Story
Here’s what’s been going on: We (Susanna and Josh) lived in Asia (Korea, Japan, China) for six years. Airen joined us three years in, and we changed course. We set our hearts on opening our own place -- a place that would enable us to spend our time working together and loving on people. Soon after this dream took root, we came back and traveled around America to reconnect with friends and family.
We almost stayed in America, but the dream carried us back to Japan to begin the journey and open a tiny drink shop in our home. After a year of learning and loving it, we had come to a fork in the road. We knew that if we stayed in Japan any longer, we’d need to take our cafe to the next level and put down roots in Kagoshima.
We began to pray about opportunities to move our family and our cafe to America, and those prayers were answered very swiftly in the form of a conversation with our college friend Coleman Yoakum.
He had founded a faith-based community-building NPO called Micah 6, and an opportunity had come to buy a small building and open a produce shop—but it would utilize only half the space. While discussing the best use of the other half, the idea of a cafe came up…
As soon as he told us, we all came to the same conclusion: it was time for us to join Micah 6 and open our cafe there. So we moved to China for a year while Micah 6 got busy readying the place, then we moved back to America at the beginning of 2016. We’ve been here in Pontiac since April, settling in and preparing.
Preparing what, you ask?
The Awesomeness
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly,
to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your God.”
Micah 6:8 is the verse that inspires both our name and our mission. We grow gardens, give rides, raise chickens, share the gospel, counsel addicts, care for children, and open the doors of our homes. After five years of setting this foundation, we are ready to begin the next phase of making Pontiac a better place to live and thrive.
We see our cafe as the natural balance to the produce shop with which we’ll share our building: they provide the live, we provide the thrive. One of the most vital aspects of a thriving community is a place to gather and connect, and to experience the simple and powerful state of being together. There is no such place in our neighborhood, and many of our neighbors don’t have access to cars or adequate public transportation. In addition to filling this void, our cafe will serve as a meeting place for the church, Alcoholics Anonymous, and community events.
There will be non-alcoholic drinks from all over the world, smoothies and shakes made by partnering with Sprout (the produce shop), music, art, photography, and stories. Because we are hoping that people will take the time to branch out and experience the local and international community, with all its flavors, cultures, colors and variety—and also because we want to encourage people to drink slowly and thoughtfully—we chose to name our cafe Micah S.I.P.S.
S.I.P.S. stands for Serving In Pontiac by Sharing. We will be offering our drinks at a very low price, and there will always be at least one drink served at no cost, so that anyone can come and share a cup. We earn our livelihood elsewhere, and any profits will go back into the community through Micah 6. We hope this will encourage rich and poor alike to reconsider the connection between value and money, and connect with each other instead.
How can this idealistic endeavor take effect in the real world?
That’s where you come in!
The Need
We are doing everything as cheaply and DIY as possible, but unfortunately there are some things we need to open S.I.P.S. that simply require money. These include a commercial-grade sink, a starting inventory of teas and coffee, and fees for business licenses, among other things.
So! We are asking you to give any amount you are willing to help us open our humble little cafe. Despite how cliche it has become to say this truth, we are extremely reluctant to ask for money, and we do not take lightly the generosity we are asking of you. We will genuinely appreciate every donation, and we will never forget that S.I.P.S. is only made possible through support by formidable allies like you.
Here’s how you can support us:
Give:
$20 — which can buy a pound of responsibly sourced tea or coffee
$50 — which can buy a hot water dispenser for teas and pour over coffee
$100 — which can buy a health-department-approved storage rack
$200 — which can buy an induction heater
$300 — which can buy a used professional blender
$400 — which can buy a three-compartment sink
$500 — which can buy a coffee grinder
If you’re interested in a full list of our needs, let us know!
We estimate that we can open the cafe for around $7,000.
After the initial setup, we plan to make the cafe self-sufficient, so your one-time donation will spur this ministry on for years.
Everything you give helps, so thank you for your investment in our community, in our church, and in S.I.P.S.
We love you all and thank you for helping in any way you can,
-Josh, Susanna and Airen
Organizer
Coleman Yoakum
Organizer
Pontiac, MI