Parksville, BC, Canada / The Lounge 99.9
Mar 5, 2021 1:55 PM
Tucked into a suburban Chicago train station may appear to be an unassuming coffee shop. But whatâs going on behind the scenes is much more than just your average cup of Joe. For the seventh year in a row the shopâs owner Pilot Pete, a.k.a. Peter Thomas, has been the driving force behind âCoffee With a Purposeâ, an annual community initiative that collects and distributes coats and other necessities to help the local homeless population brave the harsh Midwest winters. Thomas says the idea came to him when he was trying to find a way to give back to the community as well as get others involved. He admits he was initially unprepared for the positive avalanche of responses. In the weeks prior to Christmas in the driveâs first year, he and other volunteers took in 3,000 coats. This year, for drive number seven, Thomas and crew helmed the Coffee With a Purpose command center from the back of a 26-foot moving truck. The humanitarian caravan made a total of six stops throughout greater Chicago. Pilot Peteâs brewed up 40 gallons of coffee for the occasion. The hot java was supplemented by donations from three other Elmhurst businesses eager to do their part. Baked goods came courtesy of Rough Edges Confectionery; the truck and a driver were provided Good Move Movers, and custom truck signage was the handiwork of Angel Fancy Design Studio. At each stop, Thomas invited people up to âshopâ for whatever they neededâfree of charge. In addition to coats, there was a wide selection of blankets, socks, hats, gloves, scarves, and personal hygiene items to choose from, all collected, sorted, and hung by gung-ho community volunteers. Thomas notes that with the added impact of COVID, there were more people in need than ever this time around. â[When]we made this effort, all the shelters were on lockdown,â he said in an interview with the Elmhurst Independent. âNo one was allowed in or out, that is, once youâre out, you canât get back in, so there are more and more homeless people⦠This is a good year to be extra giving.â