Coffee shop, Hon’s Honey Marketplace, supports women survivors of abuse, addiction
By Jenyne Donaldson
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BALTIMORE (WBAL) — A South Baltimore coffee shop does more than specialize in lattes, honey, candles, mugs and self-care, body and handmade products.
Hon’s Honey Marketplace in Brooklyn and all its products are handcrafted and whipped up by women survivors of abuse, addiction, poverty, trafficking and other trauma who are rebuilding their lives one step at a time. Employees call the experience working at Hon’s life-changing.
“The main thing is it’s a safe place for women,” said Kathy Kempa, who is a manager of infused honey at Hon’s and works in production, making infused honey.
Kempa is recovering from substance abuse and now has a job, a car, an apartment and a new outlook on life.
“I have a car because of them through the car match program. I’m on my way to being a homeowner because of them, and (it’s) just giving me an opportunity to work to help provide for my family. I’ve also become a peer recovery specialist, so I can also help them and guide them in the right direction of where they can go for rehab or recovery or just to come in and start the classes,” Kempa said. “It’s so many different areas to help women get back into society, to help them, just to help them get their life, to get their peace of mind back. It’s amazing.”
Curtis Bay-based “Drink at the Well” is the umbrella nonprofit organization under which Hon’s Honey operates. Abigail Erickson, the marketplace manager, called Curtis Bay the forgotten neighborhood of Baltimore.
“There’s real trauma and real poverty and real, like, severely marginalized people, groups here are that are simply just not being recognized,” Erickson told 11 News.
Latoya Cabos, a barista at Hon’s, said her life has transformed in the six years she has been a part of the well.
“They gave me the opportunity of having a job, they provided child care for me, because I didn’t have child care, so I was able to work,” Cabos told 11 News.
For more information about the coffee shop and how you can help support them, visit the following website.
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