Heartwood is collaborating with Curt’s Café, a not-for-profit organization, to bring their café and inspirational concept into the former Perla Café space across the street from Heartwood Center. Curt’s Café is well known for the work they do at their North Central Street location with at-risk boys and young men. Their philosophy of “dining with a purpose” provides training, in food service and life skills, to at-risk youth in Evanston. The addition of Curt’s Café South on Dempster Street would replicate this idea, focusing on at-risk teenage girls.

The mission of the new community vision, Curt’s Café South, will be to train at-risk teen mothers in life skills and food service skills to enable them to successfully contribute to their family and our community by joining the work force and taking the next steps in their education. The purpose is to direct these young people toward a secure and productive future, where they can contribute to their community, instead of undermining it. The one essential thing that can turn lives around is a job, and the new community vision is committed to providing Evanston’s youth with this type of support.

Heartwood is currently working to raise $150,000 in order to open Curt’s Café and need an immediate $50,000 to buy the Perla Café space.  All donations are tax deductible and no amount is too small, but larger donations are especially appreciated, as this project must unfold within the next several weeks. To make a donation, visit the page on Kickstarter.

The neighborhood within a block or two of Dempster Street and Dodge Avenue is drastically changing. The newly renovated Heartwood Center includes the beautiful Skylight event space, seating up to 300 people, featuring wellness programs taught by internationally known practitioners. Heartwood is currently under contract to purchase two additional adjacent properties, which includes a parking lot, and negotiating a third property. However, Heartwood is just one of the institutions assisting in the process of creating a strong and inspirational community committed to giving back to the Evanston area. A Starbucks is under construction and expected to open in August, a new grocery store, Valli Products, is set to open within the year, and the Evanston West Village Business Association is establishing a greater presence through new community initiatives and benefits for businesses and their consumers

To donate, click here to visit the Kickstarter website. For questions, contact Nancy Floy at nancyfloy@heartwoodcenter.com.