ANGELO MOORS, DR. ARTHUR WOODS, MELVENA DANIELS, REV. GLENN GRAYSON, NECOLE HULL, SHINORA JOHNSON (PHOTO BY J.L. MARTELLO)
Glenn “Rambo” Ramsey and Danielle Parson were just two of the many Pittsburghers who picked up some food at CARES CommuniTEA Cafe, on Feb. 1, 2023, a very special day for the eatery in the Hill District.
Feb. 1 marked exactly two years that CARES CommuniTEA Cafe had been in business. The cafe is a workforce development initiative of The Center that CARES, founded by Rev. Glenn Grayson Sr., pastor of Wesley Center AME Zion Church, on Centre Avenue. The organization also runs the popular Jeron X. Grayson Community Center, on Enoch Street in the Hill.
At a time when some businesses have left the Centre Heldman Plaza, CARES CommuniTEA Cafe has withstood, of all things, a pandemic.
“We’re really excited about surviving two years in the pandemic, two years with rising food costs, two years of challenging workforce and staff and people switching jobs,” said Shinora Johnson, with The Center that CARES, in an exclusive interview with the New Pittsburgh Courier. “So, it’s been a struggle, but I feel a sense of pride and people coming here, having meetings…it’s something that the community really needed…there’s really no sit-down restaurants or eateries in the community.”
JASHAN THOMAS, AT THE TWO-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF CARES COMMUNITEA CAFE. (PHOTOS BY J.L. MARTELLO)
Johnson said as she’s watched local and state politicians and other Pittsburgh notables come into the restaurant, or people having a chance to fellowship at the eatery, “it warms my soul. Sometimes you have really slow days, but when you see that the community needs something that you’re offering, you want to be able to serve.” In March 2020, ironically, when the COVID pandemic began in the U.S., the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh released a “Request for Interested Tenants” for the vacant retail spaces in the Centre Heldman Plaza. In August 2020, the URA announced it would lease one of the spaces to CARES CommuniTEA Cafe. The cafe is located at 1836 Centre Ave., and is part of the Avenues of Hope initiative, which addresses Pittsburgh’s lack of community and economic development in Black communities.
Johnson, the day-to-day leader of the cafe, said that about 30 students ages 18 to 24 have worked at the cafe. The cafe is designed to have students, the majority of whom are African American, get prepared for the work world. The students learn how to run a register, the cafe’s social media efforts, pricing structure, inventory control, and how to staff the cafe, especially during call-offs.
The Grayson Center, Johnson said, also is home to a program that provides students the opportunity to learn different stages of entrepreneurship, including how to create and follow a business plan.
Every other Wednesday, the cafe partners with Beyond Blessed Catering to offer different meals to the cafe’s customers. Johnson said the cafe also partners with local businesses for its uniforms, and the cafe is looking to partner more with Sunny’s Community Garden, which is another program of The Center that CARES. The community garden is located on Granville Street, its mission to provide fresh food to Hill District residents.
A normal day at CARES CommuniTEA cafe, which is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., features croissants with egg and cheese, bagels, and yogurt with fresh fruit and granola for breakfast; and a variety of salads, panini and sandwiches for lunch. It’s a “cafe” of course, so don’t forget about the mochas, lattes, cappucinos, espressos, and spiced ciders. There’s also lemonade, iced tea, fruit smoothies and candy and cakes on the menu.
“RAMBO” GETS FOOD FROM CARES COMMUNITEA CAFE…
For Ramsey, known around town as “Rambo,” he told the Courier he picked up a special meal on a Wednesday, which included, in his words, “one gumbo, three wings and two salmons for the family.” He said the cafe, right in his neighborhood, is “good for the community.”
And for Parson, a former Courier Fab 40 honoree in 2018, going to CARES CommuniTEA Cafe makes her feel “comfortable. I know I can get something great to eat, I know I’m going to see a smiling face, so I love that they’re here. My prayer is that they’ll stay here and I’ll continue to support.”
DANIELLE PARSON ENJOYS THE COMFORTABLE ATMOSPHERE OF CARES COMMUNITEA CAFE.
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