It's early Monday morning and the bundled masses have gathered in foggy Friendship Park at Loaves & Fishes in Sacramento to receive a breakfast of donated pastries and coffee, and a meal ticket for lunch.
"You wake up so cold. You're shivering and everything," said Shawn Willis, who is camping along the American River with the homeless organization Safe Ground. "Come down to Friendship Park and get some of this warm coffee. It warms your insides and your outsides," he said.
He smiles as he speaks of the motivation he gets from the caffeine boost and of the book he wants to someday write about escaping homelessness.
As guests mingle while they eat breakfast, Loaves & Fishes staff member Clarence Allen, a.k.a. "Pinky," bustles about, optimistically coaxing a reluctant old coffee maker to churn out yet another 20 gallons.
Even as water leaks relentlessly from the bottom of the pot into an old 5-gallon bucket, Pinky is undeterred. Speaking as someone who knows how to make do, he said, "We're doing everything we can to keep it going."
No one knows how old the current industrial-sized coffee maker is. They received it used 10 years ago and it is barely able to churn out the 80 gallons that is served to the homeless Monday through Friday.
About 300 people are served each day, and they could easily enjoy more coffee, given the opportunity.
Loaves & Fishes personnel have asked Book of Dreams readers to help buy a new heavy-duty coffee maker. They could also use donations of regular coffee, which is a big expense for them.
"This will make a thousand people happy," said Garren Bratcher, Friendship Park co-director. "It's really nice to see our guests come in, take a sip of coffee and smile."
For Mitch Ollis, who has been receiving services here off and on for five years, the coffee gives him energy to pursue his GED. He doesn't know where that education will lead him, but he knows it's important to try.
He sits on a bench by himself, his clear blue eyes peeking out from under a dark blue ski cap. Worn hands clutch a mug close to him.
"I'm doing my best to think positive about my future," he said.
Need: New, industrial-strength pot for the approximately 300,000 cups of coffee Loaves & Fishes serves each year.
Cost: $5,000
© Copyright The Sacramento Bee. All rights reserved.
Call The Bee's Autumn Cruz, (916) 321-5269.
• Read more articles by Autumn Cruz
