GraceFull Community Café: Paying It Forward

Heather Greenwood gets up early on Colorado Gives Day to prepare three dozen of her famous glazed cinnamon rolls and pots of piping hot coffee to thank Littleton residents who opened up their wallets to support her cafe.

Heather’s café, Greenwood’s GraceFull Community Café on South Curtis Street, offers pay-what-you-can meals to Littleton’s residents. Its creation was inspired by a visit to the Littleton Economic Development Department in 2016 where Heather learned that 23 percent of people within a three-minute drive of downtown Littleton lived in poverty.

Run by Greenwood and her husband Troy, the cafe offers pay-what-you-can meals to Littleton’s residents. The café feeds about 120 customers daily with half paying full price while the others pay what they can. Participating in Colorado Gives Day helps raise awareness of their mission and brings a burst of support in a 24-hour period.

“Our heart is in building relationships,” she said. “We love to see the money on Colorado Gives Day, but we’re all about seeing people enjoy a nice meal in the front of a house.”

(Adapted from an article by Sam Tabaachnik, The Denver Post)