A Second Chance Through Faith: Coffee House Partners With Ministry to Help Ex-Convicts

One of the hardest parts of adjusting back to normal life for female ex-convicts is finding employment, particularly when many employers automatically rule out applicants with crimes on their records. Without a steady job, these women may turn back to the same lifestyles that landed them in prison, leading to a vicious cycle of arrests, releases and more arrests. Higher Grounds Coffee Shoppe and Bakery aims to break that cycle by providing jobs to these women, giving them the opportunity to take the first step towards a better life.

According to NewsOK, Higher Grounds is part of Mission OKC, which works with Cherokee Hills Christian Church to help female ex-convicts find suitable employment. The shop’s current employees have come from a number of different backgrounds, including Karen Parker, a former practical nurse, and Cassandra Kost, who used to work in the kitchen at City Mission Rescue while she lived there. Higher Grounds Coffee Shoppe & Bakery provides everything a coffee lover could need, including a wide variety of coffees and other beverages, baked goods, and breakfast and lunch items. Guests can get quick service by using the drive-thru, or relax in the shop’s coffee bar, which has a fireplace, electrical outlets for devices, a live music area and free Wi-Fi.

In addition to giving its employees a second chance, Higher Grounds also provides them all with health and dental insurance. Community leaders, including those with nearby churches, credit the shop for the opportunity it provides and for helping to develop the community. They’re not the only ones singing its praises, as the shop has already been getting rave reviews since it opened less than a year ago. Higher Grounds Coffee Shoppe and Bakery is providing a positive example for how God can bring people together and give a second chance to those who need it. Read about how faith in God can help heal those with troubled pasts here.