Hello there, I wanted to share a recent discovery with you… I was off to get my nails done at my usual place (Hollywood Star Nails in Bethnal Green) but today I didn’t book so had to wait for someone to be free to fix my hands up real nice. I took the opportunity to pop by to Second Shot to bide my time. I’ve bought a take out coffee from Second Shot a few times before now but hadn’t ever sat in, and I’m glad I did this time.
I knew this place helped the homeless
somehow and had a ‘pay it forward’ system but I wasn’t really sure how it worked. While I sat there I witnessed a bundle of homeless people come in at around 4.30pm and queue up for free coffee. At closing time homeless people queued up again and Second Shot handed out the pastries and savouries they had left.
I scrolled through my phone finding out about this pay it forward scheme and it’s such a wholesome and solid idea, I felt really grateful for what I have just sitting there so once everyone had cleared out I donated money to buy two meals for people tomorrow. I got to draw two food items on the board to represent the meals I purchased, which will get wiped off when people claim the food tomorrow.
From briefly speaking to Sam (one of the baristas..maybe the manager?) before I left, they also work with the homeless and from what I gather employ people for six months or so.. enough to be sure that they can transition into employment and are on their feet as an independent person where they deserve to be. It’s such a nice thing to do and see, so I thought I’d give them a little shout out in my nugget sized piece of the world. Second Shot are also a black owned business and were founded by Julius A Ibrahim, clearly a guy with great taste and ethics! He registered the business back in 2015 as a 20 year old, what a total champ! At 20 I was just arsing about working at a high street opticians and I still can’t imagine having that much energy to launch a business of my own. Truly commendable.
I’m yet to try the food but the coffee is super lush, so next time you’re in a Second Shot neighbourhood (Bethnal Green or Edgware Road) pop in, grab some food/drink and pay it forward if you can. You can also pay it forward online if you’d like to help but can’t make it to a location; check out the website for more information if you’re curious!
Big love guys, big love. Keep up the great and generous work.
Forked by Stefpuff
Twitter/Instagram: @secondshotcoffee
fork my piehole 