Why is coffee important to The P.E.E.R. Center?

Coffee is a drink prepared from roasted coffee beans, which are ground and then brewed with near-boiling water to produce the beverage we all know – and many of us worship — known by names like cup of joe or java. However, at The PEER Center, a cup of coffee is much more than the dictionary definition above.

A cup of coffee is a gateway for conversations to begin, with topics as varied as the types of roasted beans. Moods relax, guards are let down, and people generally feel the need to say something and that starts conversations – which is our goal.

This is imperative in the recovery field, as there is a tendency to isolate and sharing helps one gain information for their personal recovery. It also helps build trust and develop that peer-to-peer relationship. Moreover, a person can feel like a person and not a diagnosis.

What you can see is that, in 2017, The PEER Center handed out 103,776 cups of coffee (384 containers) across both locations! This is not counting creamer/sugar/sweetener or the cups the coffee is served in.

What is unseen, to most people, are the tens of thousands of engagements surrounding those 103,776 cups. In those encounters, you will find respect, jokes, and/or support. This is all paramount to the work we do.

It is not just about the coffee; the drink is just a tool. It’s about what the coffee creates as a byproduct that is the goal. Because, think about it, just for a moment. . .

Have you ever attended a get-together without coffee?