The Good Wolf Foundation

The dream was always so much more than a tiny cafe; but dreams are just goals we’re not actively working towards. The concept of feeding your good wolf beyond just serving up the best coffee and the tastiest treats. The good wolf was born out of a passion for connection, a want to help others and a desire to build community. The tiny cafe has been a beautiful start, but there is so much goodness brewing.

The universe is always working to move us towards our purpose, and this journey has proven that every step of the way. My passion for helping others has always existed. I remember hosting a charity car wash with friends at the age of 11 so that we could sponsor children in developing nations. In high school a friend and I put on a benefit dinner to support Project Wellness, a local charity that built wells in Malawi, Africa. In my adult years I took the “Ice Bucket Challenge” to the next level and started a GoFundMe for a local family who was battling ALS. My interest in helping particularly stigmatised groups such as formerly incarcerated individuals and those of us who live with mental health challenges was born out of my time working in Corrections. I saw the gap in service and knew I wanted to address it.

Enter The Good Wolf Foundation- a non-profit society born out of a desire to help . Our focus will be to encourage compassion, foster connection and build community. We will work particularly to support stigmatised groups such as formerly incarcerated folks, those living with mental health challenges, persons with lived or living experience with substance use and so much more.

So how do we make the change from dream to goal? We take action. The Good Wolf Foundation will be collecting funds to work towards building a social enterprise cafe. What does this mean for the tiny cafe? Nothing really. The tiny cafe remains, and will be donating a portion of its proceeds to the Foundation. Otherwise, all stays the same. The Good Wolf Foundation will work towards building the funds to lease a large space to build… (drum roll please)… Healing Grounds- a community cafe. Although I’m sure the details will change over time, for now the plan is to lease a large space with a full kitchen. We will make it a priority to hire people from stigmatised groups, to provide employment opportunities for those who might otherwise have trouble securing employment. We will be an inclusive workplace with comprehensive training focused not only on the basics such as Food Safe and First Aid, but also on inclusive language, trauma informed practice and more. The space itself will function as a normal cafe, with plenty of space to eat, work and connect. However, in addition to the cafe, we will also have a space dedicated to building community. The vision is an empty room with tables and chairs available to utilise when needed. Picture a full calendar of events including but not limited to: morning gratitude circle, yoga, meditation, mental health workshops, art therapy, live music, learning series, and more. The goal is to reduce stigma, spread compassion and educate the community on many matters including mental health, the importance of second chances and rehabilitation, and so much more.

Click the link below to be directed to out GoFundMe to support The Good Wolf Foundation and building Healing Grounds Community Cafe!