Coffee shop employing people who are homeless set to open in Anoka this month

An Anoka church with a heart for the homeless is opening a new coffee shop that will employ people who don’t have a permanent place to live and give them skills to help them get on their feet.

As many as eight employees affected by homelessness will be on the payroll when Compassion Coffee opens in the space formerly occupied by Jellybean and Julia’s BBQ in a strip mall at 530 W. Main St. The restaurant moved to Coon Rapids.

“Coffee brings people together,” said Rob Bergfalk, lead pastor of the namesake church behind the mission to empower the homeless. “People bond over coffee.”

Since 2018, Bergfalk had dreamed of opening a place where anybody and everybody could gather in a safe space and do life together. This spring, the day finally came. The church signed a lease in May and it’s been a whirlwind ever since, Bergfalk said.

Bergfalk secured a $100,000 loan from the Christian and Missionary Alliance district that serves 50 churches in Minnesota and eastern North Dakota, including Compassion Church. There have been fundraising efforts to raise $30,000 to help cover remodeling costs and operating expenses.

Members from Nowthen Alliance Church and the community have pitched in to donate time to put in new electrical, plumbing and walls and make other improvements to bring the space up to code. There are new countertops and an espresso bar.

“It’s providing essential jobs for the community, and that spoke to us,” said Taylor Pederson with Endless Poxybilities Concrete Coating, which donated flooring.

Bergfalk said the coffee shop is an outgrowth of a mobile coffee cart the church once used at civic events and county buildings. Now the cart is primarily used for parties, weddings and school events, said Lillian Pringle, Compassion’s operations director.

Compassion Church takes its name from Matthew 9, which describes Jesus’ compassion for people in need. That is the impetus for taking the bold step of opening a coffee shop to provide “excellent quality coffee” and empower people who are homeless to pursue their goals, Bergfalk said.

Bergfalk will work with county programs such as Stepping Stone Emergency Housing and Hope4Youth to identify people who need jobs.

“If they want to go to school or open a barbershop, we’ll work alongside them,” Bergfalk said.

The coffee shop, which also will host church services and community events, is teaming with its neighbor, Krown Bakery & Eatery, to offer baked goods.

The bakery is excited to have a new neighbor.

“I think it will be good for the community,” baker Derek Callender said.

Bergfalk said he hopes to open Compassion Coffee by the middle of October.