In the East Village, a new cafe is combining free meals, job training, and a rare safe space for migrants, particularly those from Guinea, West Africa. Cafewal, which springs from Fulani, meaning "cafeteria," is more than just a basement eatery beneath the Elim House of Worship. It's a community initiative offering much-needed support to asylum-seekers and locals alike, reports Gothamist. Tyler Hefferon, who's led EVLoves since 2020 and formerly worked in restaurant management and nonprofit finance, spearheads operations with a vision to directly impact the local level.
The cafe also came about to provide job training in an environment where language barriers won't immediately close doors. The restaurant industry is a common entry point for immigrants due to the variety of jobs that don't require English fluency and the ongoing labor shortage. According to Eater, mutual aid groups collaborated not only to feed those in need but to skillfully equip them to eventually gain employment. Amidst concerns about the tightening grip over asylum rules and ICE raids, Cafewal aims to always be a beacon of support, as confirmed by Hefferon.
Operations at Cafewal are made possible through donations from local businesses like 7th Street Burger and collaborations with food rescue programs. Volunteers get involved in an extensive eight-week restaurant training covering aspects from food prep to hygiene. The cafe has been serving up diverse dishes like halal bulgogi, chicken curry, and Sloppy Joes, skillfully expanding the culinary repertoire of its volunteers. Since its inception, Cafewal has managed to serve over 300 meals per day, half of which are provided free of charge to anyone who visits, with the remaining meals fulfilling orders from partners and donors. Gothamist notes the restaurant sees a regular influx of clients, many of whom are navigating the legalities of the immigration system.
While creating a hub for camaraderie and cultural familiarity amongst diners and volunteers, the primary goal of Cafewal remains to secure employment for its trainees. Diamy Bah, a Guinean immigrant and operations manager at Cafewal, shared with Gothamist his harrowing journey to the U.S. and his subsequent contribution to the cafe's operations, including helping to expand the menu for Ramadan. Patrick Colimon, a volunteer with EVLoves, highlighted the simple yet compelling desire of the clients: "All they want to do is work."
Hefferon is keen to emphasize that the end goal extends far beyond the kitchen jobs many of the trainees land initially. "I don’t think getting a job making 20 bucks an hour as a line cook is the end goal. Most of them have more education than I do," he told Eater. With its non-reliance on city or state funding, Cafewal remains a sustainable operation even in the face of potential federal funding freezes. The operation continues to serve a rising number of meals, including marking its 15,000th meal in just four months.
