Sip of Hope Coffee
Cafe · Logan Square ·
Coffee & baked goods support mental health education
Coffee & baked goods support mental health education
"A Logan Square coffee shop opened in 2018 as a community space to host mental-health workshops, Sip of Hope is part of Hope for the Day’s efforts and helped popularize the motto “it’s OK not to be OK.” The shop has been especially valuable during the pandemic, drew attention when President Barack Obama tweeted about Boucher and the coffeeshop in 2018, and attracted Hollywood interest late last year as potential inspiration for a TV pilot; a Sip of Hope spokesperson told Eater Chicago that both Sip of Hope and Hope for the Day will continue to serve their missions." - Ashok Selvam
"Opened in 2018 in Logan Square as an arm of the nonprofit Hope For The Day (whose slogan is “it’s OK not to be OK”), this café is staffed with mental-health professionals dedicated to suicide prevention and provides access to services for people who may not have health insurance, including many in Chicago’s service industry. The organization has begun roasting its own coffee to build direct relationships with farmers in Nicaragua, Mexico, and Papa New Guinea, and its community-oriented, diverse crew of personalities is central to the vibe the founders want preserved as a TV project; founders Jonny Boucher and Dave Kunicki are even listed as consultants on a potential NBC show, described briefly as “think Freud, with tattoos and a frother.” COVID-19 forced the shop into takeout-only service, which has been an inconvenience for customers and a real challenge for the café’s mission because it limits in-person programs like 86 The Silence, Hope For The Day’s mental-health education and outreach effort for the service industry." - Ashok Selvam
"Launched in Logan Square with help from Dark Matter as a collaboration with Hope for the Day, intended to address mental illness and suicide prevention." - Ashok Selvam
"A newish Logan Square coffeeshop, Sip of Hope has generated significant buzz for its work educating and helping people with mental health issues and has been featured by the Obama Foundation." - Daniel Gerzina
"Operated by Hope for the Day as a social-enterprise cafe and mental-health outreach hub, this 1,600-square-foot, 44-seat Logan Square space is designed to destigmatize mental illness and connect people to resources. Dark Matter Coffee supplies the beans and charity-focused brews (with Chocolate City cold brew on tap and an agave-latte variation available), and profits are directed back to the nonprofit. All staff are certified in Mental Health First Aid and the shop provides printed materials and contact information for counseling and crisis services — including support for people with suicidal thoughts — positioning itself as a bridge rather than a drop-in clinic and offering help to uninsured workers in the restaurant and bar industry. Food offerings start with baked goods from West Town Bakery while ownership and the menu will be adjusted based on early sales; the organization has already distributed roughly 500,000 fliers through partners and aims to expand training (targeting 5,000 more certified people) and community outreach." - Ashok Selvam