The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Grey Bruce has opened a new cafe in Owen Sound that promotes inclusion and mental health while creating a safe space in the community for people to work and for others to enjoy.
Abby Drimmie, Fundraising, Media Relations & Special Events Coordinator for the CMHA Grey Bruce’s Mental Health and Addiction Services, says Fresh Roots Catering had been operating successfully for over five years, and now a cafe portion has opened up.
It’s been open for about a week and a half.
Drimmie says, “It’s been our dream to open up a cafe because we love the idea of having that social enterprise to have a safe space for the community to enjoy and have a safe space for our employees.” She adds, “It’s an innovative social enterprise component of the Canadian Mental Health Association Grey Bruce. It’s a social enterprise, so it’s a business with specific social objectives.” Fresh Roots has over 30 employees who have lived mental health experience.
Drimmie says the goal for the cafe, which is run by the CMHA’s Teresa Pearson, isn’t to maximize profits necessarily, but rather it’s to employ people with lived mental health experience.
The cafe also has a ‘Pay It Forward Board,’ which allows someone to buy a coffee or a few coffees or snacks and ‘pay it forward’ for someone who visits the cafe later to enjoy. Drimmie explains, “Let’s say you come in and you’re short and you wanted to get something else– we’ll be able to use our pay it forward board to help anybody in the community to get a free item.”
The cafe is open seven days a week from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Drimmie says, “We also sell dried teas, lavender, frozen soups and more.” She says arts and crafts will be sold there as well with 25 per cent of the proceeds going to the cafe and 75 per cent going to the person who made them. “It’s really this creative, safe space for people to come together and be able to sell their products, and we’re able to create that community.”
Depending on the season, they grow a lot of their produce in their ‘food forest’ and their gardens, “Our menu will have seasonal items based on garden availability,” says Drimmie. For example right now, the frozen soups, lavender and teas would have been harvested before the winter. She says, “Once we get into the spring and summer, you’ll be able to see our produce items that will be seasonally on the menu.” The CMHA manages gardens along the city’s waterfront as well as in St. George’s Park. The park has an orchard and 188 raised garden beds.
Drimmie says the CMHA Grey Bruce is thankful for support from a number of organizations and companies that have helped them along the way including, the United Way of Bruce Grey, Community Foundation Grey Bruce, Bruce Power and the nearby store Barebirch which supplied furniture as well as other businesses and organizations.
“We’re really, really excited to welcome the community. Our prices are reasonable and affordable for everyone to enjoy,” says Drimmie.
The Fresh Roots cafe is located at 1028 2nd Avenue East beside the CMHA’s office.
CMHA Grey Bruce is thrilled to have our very own Fresh Roots Cafe open today! Come on down for take-ou until 2p.m. today. Stay tuned for lots of picture updates throughout the day. We would be honored to welcome you today. Did you know our Ironwood coffee is only $1.00? #power pic.twitter.com/ilOwADYPZK
— CMHA Grey Bruce Mental Health & Addiction Services (@cmhagb) January 12, 2022
They make a great breakfast quesadilla. Wishing them all the best on this great initiative to help raise funds for mental health locally! #BruceGreyOwenSound @CMHA_NTL @cmhagb https://t.co/HEviBxqh0Z pic.twitter.com/VyNb9qQuaQ
— Alex Ruff (@AlexRuff17) January 16, 2022
Congratulations and welcome to the Fresh Roots Cafe and Catering! Fresh Roots Cafe is open 7 days a week from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Welcome to the neighbourhood, we are delighted to have you here! #RiverDistrictOS #NewBusiness #MentalHealth #MentalHealthAwareness #FreshRootsCafe pic.twitter.com/NX4KsuUdnc
— Owen Sound River District (@RiverDistrictOS) January 12, 2022