A line formed outside the cafe at 12 Neighbours, a small residential community in Fredericton, late in the morning on opening day. Neighbourly Coffee sells hot drinks and baked goods, but many people came to support those in need.
Jennifer Speedy attended the opening and said she hopes to come every week.
“Housing is so important and a lot of people have nowhere to go. These tiny houses are amazing,” she said.
12 Neighbors is known for providing small-scale housing to nearly 100 people who might otherwise have nowhere else to go.
It once operated a pop-up coffee shop at the Picaroons Roundhouse, but now operates a permanent cafe at the location, drawing people from all over Fredericton to the neighbourhood.
Al Smith, aka Mayor Al, the third tiny house resident, will host guests at the cafe, which will allow him to gain more workplace skills and help him pay for some of the basics of his live-in partner's medical bills.
“For me, it’s really good because I don’t have health insurance, so it covers a lot of medication costs,” he said.
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It’s one of several on-site initiatives designed to provide residents with an experience and offer market pay. Others include a printing business and tiny houses for sale.
“How do we help people live as independent and fulfilling lives as possible? A big part of that is our employment pathways,” said community founder Marcel Lebrun.
He said the cafe also served to bring people together.
“Really, the whole thing is the context of community. You know, the communities between Fredericton, and the communities in Fredericton. So healthier relationships, that's what helps all of us move forward in our lives,” he said.
Smith hopes to share this community with everyone in Fredericton.
“This is Fredericton’s coffee shop,” he said.
Speedy said the space is inviting.
“When you come in, you can see they’ve put a lot of thought into how they’re going to host guests and how they’re going to seat them,” she said.
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