Opportunity Coffee & Cafe
Serving HOPE one cup at a time…
Opportunity Coffee & Cafe is now open! Come in and experience where every cup changes lives. Enjoy expertly crafted specialty coffees, delicious sweets, and fresh, flavorful eats — all served in a warm, inviting space that makes you feel right at home. Stop by today and taste the difference your cup can make!
Days: Monday – Saturday | Hours: 7:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Location: 3481 E. Michigan St.
(across from the H.S. Lopez Family Foundation Center of Opportunity)
The Cafe
There’s more behind every latte and pastry. Opportunity Coffee & Cafe is a social enterprise that empowers men and women rebuilding their lives through real-world job training in customer service, hospitality, and business operations. Each visit helps equip our interns with the skills, confidence, and experience they need to achieve lasting independence.
Come sip, savor, and make a difference!
The Menu
This program thrives because of strong community partnerships and support. In collaboration with Blessed Grounds Coffee Roasters and Pima Community College, we serve locally roasted, ethically sourced coffee while interns help run the cafe — greeting customers, crafting drinks, and managing workflow under professional guidance. Local businesses, volunteers, and donors also play a vital role in making this mission possible. Every cup of coffee not only fuels the community but also empowers men and women working hard to rebuild their lives.
Looking for something different at your next party, function, or event?
The Mobile Coffee Cafe
GRM’s Mobile Opportunity Coffee & Cafe is ready to welcome you!
Savor expertly crafted coffees, creamy lattes, refreshing cold brews, and a curated selection of premium teas, all prepared by skilled baristas trained in partnership with Blessed Grounds Coffee Roasters.
More than just a mobile cafe, this social enterprise of Gospel Rescue Mission, in collaboration with Pima Community College, provides hands-on training for individuals pursuing careers in business and culinary arts — empowering them with real-world experience and valuable skills.
The mobile cafe is available for events and private parties, making it the perfect way to add flavor and meaning to any gathering.
Click below to learn more and embark on a flavorful journey you won’t forget!
GRM SOCIAL ENTERPRISE PROGRAM
Gospel Rescue Mission has identified a significant need for hands-on vocational training within the community we serve. Our goal is to create a welcoming and comfortable gathering space that provides essential knowledge, skills, and abilities for our guests. This space will offer individuals the opportunity to relax and enjoy a variety of amenities, including high-quality coffee, tea, pastries, and small plates. Currently, the available options in the area often fall short, as they can become overcrowded and may not provide the safe and relaxing environment many seek.
Gospel Rescue Mission’s Social Enterprise provides practical experience and training for individuals experiencing homelessness to manage a business. The program aims to empower individuals with necessary skills and resources for success in the business realm while promoting foundational values of love, hope, dignity, and respect.
Participants receive classroom-style learning, access to training materials, and hands-on experience operating real business brands. The first initiative is Opportunity Coffee and Cafe, starting with a coffee trailer and expanding into a full-service coffee shop and cafe.
Future plans include a retail store, event planning services, and food trucks.
THE TRAINING PROGRAM
Our 18-week job training program is designed to provide comprehensive and immersive training in the coffee industry and entrepreneurship. Participants will be equipped with specialized coffee and cafe-related skills, essential habits, and competencies applicable to various industries.
Our ultimate aim is to support participants in transitioning from an unstable state to a stable one by equipping them with job expertise, valuable resources, and a strong support system. The program is divided into three distinct tiers: business training, culinary Arts training, and practical experience, each focusing on specific aspects of the coffee industry employment and the broader job market. During the business skills training phase, participants will receive intensive training to develop soft skills in customer service and team dynamics. This stage will focus on refining technical skills and cultivating essential soft skills such as communication, customer service, and teamwork under pressure.
PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE & MENTORSHIP
The practicum portion of the program lasts for ten weeks, providing an intensive and immersive learning experience. This opportunity is open to four individuals who have successfully completed the foundational business and culinary training. These selected participants will be paired with dedicated mentors, who are volunteers from Tucson’s restaurant industry. These mentors will play a pivotal role in guiding and supporting the participants as they navigate the intricacies of the hospitality trade.
Throughout the program, the guests will have the invaluable opportunity to work closely with GRM program management staff and a dedicated team of coaches. These coaches are specifically trained to provide hands-on guidance, ensuring that the participants gain a comprehensive understanding of the daily operations involved in running a successful coffee shop cafe.
Under the guidance and support of their mentors, coaches, and GRM staff, the four chosen participants will be entrusted with the responsibility of managing all aspects of the business. This hands-on experience is designed to equip them with the practical skills and knowledge required for entry-level to mid-management positions within the hospitality industry.
Ultimately, this comprehensive experience aims to not only increase their earning potential but also to enhance their prospects for long-term financial and personal success. Students will be trained in:
- Preparing and serving beverages
- Serving food
- Customer service
- Cleaning and sanitizing
- Stocking and ordering
- Cash handling
- Following health and safety guidelines
- Working with others
- Teaching Flexibility
GRM SOCIAL ENTERPRISES—CONCEPT AND PURPOSE
GRM’s social enterprises provide employment opportunities for marginalized individuals, offering not just jobs, but also guidance and a nurturing environment. Programs for individuals experiencing homelessness provide a stable work environment and comprehensive support to address their needs, aiming to break down barriers and provide opportunities for those facing challenges.
Characteristics of Social Enterprises:
- One or more social or environmental goals
- Focus on acquiring funds from goods and
services, not just grants and donations - Incorporation of nonprofit and for-profit
business structures
How it Helps Homeless Individuals:
- Support channels and skill-training opportunities
- Prospects for an independent source of income
- Opens doors to professional networks
- Builds dignity and self-respect
SOCIAL ENTERPRISES—COMMUNITY BENEFITS
GRM’s Social Enterprise plays a pivotal role in empowering individuals by enhancing their confidence, expanding their job knowledge, honing their skills, and nurturing their abilities, ultimately resulting in a decrease in:
- Unemployment—People are classified as unemployed if they do not have a job, have actively looked for work in the prior 4 weeks, and are currently available for work.
- Poverty—If a family’s total income is less than the family’s threshold, then that family and every individual in it is considered in poverty.
- Lack of Affordable Housing—Affordable housing is generally defined as housing on which the occupant is paying no more than 30 percent of gross income for housing costs, including utilities.
- Lower Workforce Productivity—Lower number of people available and prepared to enter the workforce.
- Lost Business Revenue—Homeless camps that are set up in business districts can create blight (the smell, sight, and encounter of human waste as well as tents) and fear for potential consumers, thereby diminishing people’s desire to shop in that area.
- Lost Tax Revenue—Lower amounts of tax dollars generated due to a lower number of people in the workforce as well as people shopping in business districts with high levels of encampments.
- Healthcare Costs—Increased costs to the Healthcare System due to increased usage of emergency services (ambulance/paramedics/fire dept., emergency room care, etc.) because of a lack of healthcare.
- Public Services Costs—Increased costs associated with Police, the Criminal Justice System, Incarceration (Jail), public works such as maintenance (park and homeless camp cleanups, etc.)
Give the gift of a life-changing opportunity for others to discover a new life.
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