According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 42 million Americans will lose their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits on November 1.
Once this reality was made clear, Portland coffee shop Heretic Coffee announced it would feed vulnerable members of the community in response.
“If your SNAP benefits are running out, then breakfast is on us,” the coffee shop wrote on October 26 in a now viral social media post.
“NO ONE should have to worry about their next meal. Portland fam, we know it’s not much, but we’ll do our best to keep you fed. Starting November 1st, each day 8 a.m. - 2 p.m.”
After Heretic Coffee made its announcement, one Threads user replied: “Sorry, but you will be bankrupt in a week.”
“We responded with ‘Much rather go bankrupt feeding our people than selling coffee while other families starve’ and we stand by that comment,” the shop’s owner, Josh, told Good Good Good.
While Josh was prepared to take a financial hit, he wasn’t prepared for what came next.
“As of Tuesday at 10 a.m., you’ve donated $72,159.66 to keep our people fed,” Josh posted on Instagram.
“Over two thousand of you have given toward this cause.”
Less than an hour later, that total reached $75,000.
“We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: when the system fails us, it’s on everyday people to take care of each other,” Josh wrote. “This, right here, is the proof.”
On Wednesday, he updated followers again. Supporters had donated $184,553.19 in just a few days.
"Mister Rogers once said, 'always look for the helpers,' He was talking about you all," Josh wrote in the caption.
"Donations have poured in from Australia, Ireland, Egypt, and beyond," he continued. "There is no exaggeration in saying that the entire world is keeping Portland fed. Thank you."
And then once again, on Thursday, Josh was back with another update: Heretic had raised $280,503.69 since he first announced the free breakfast initiative.
When the effort was launched, Josh told Good Good Good it was a mostly grassroots, in-house project, but added that the shop was actively looking to work with local vendors and volunteers to cook, serve, and donate to ensure community members can eat.
“As a business that sells coffee and food, it didn’t feel right to just sit and watch people go hungry,” he said on Monday.
With the support of people near and far, however, the future looks bright for Heretic Coffee and its surrounding community.
"If you are hungry, come eat," Josh concluded in his latest update. "The world has you."
Locals looking to volunteer for a shift at Heretic Coffee can visit this Google Form.
For people hoping to support the cause from outside of Portland, Heretic Coffee also has a donation link available online.
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Header image by Ketut Subiyanto via Pexels
