Our Story
In 2018, God gave Rob and Kelsey a vision to plant a church to care for the homeless population. Compassion Church was started in Anoka in 2021 to care for the growing number of people experiencing homelessness in the suburbs. The dream was to one day open a coffeehouse to be able to employ people affected by homelessness, and to use the space as a church.
In October of 2022, we started a mobile coffee cart to start small. After operating for a couple years and looking at multiple coffeehouse locations, we found the perfect space in May of 2024 (the old Jellybean and Julia’s BBQ in Anoka)! We signed the lease, spent 6 months remodeling, and opened the doors on October 28, 2024!
The church now meets at the coffeehouse on Sunday mornings and uses the space for discipleship and other events.
Meet the Team
Rob and Kelsey married in 2007, and love sharing how God has worked in their family and marriage. They are proud parents to two kids who inspire them to slow down, laugh, and enjoy life.
Some of Rob’s favorite hobbies include having coffee with friends while talking about life and going on adventures as a family. He has been in ministry since 2016, and was in the restaurant industry for 12 years prior to that.
Kelsey is an incredible wife and mother and is one of the most caring people you’ll meet. She’s a light in her workplace as she is a Marketing Manager for a local credit union, and is someone that will always add value to the people she’s with.
Lillian is a dedicated coffee enthusiast with over 5 years of experience as a barista. She deeply values the connections she builds with the community through coffee and is thrilled to bring that passion to Compassion Coffee.
Lillian is committed to supporting those who have faced trauma and is driven to help others recognize their deep intrinsic value and worth. She believes that community and compassion are essential in becoming the best version of ourselves and aims to weave these values into the everyday operations at Compassion Coffee.
When she's not crafting the perfect espresso, Lillian enjoys watching movies, playing with her dog Chippie, attending concerts, and searching for unique finds at thrift shops.
FAQs
Why Anoka?
We were blown away when we realized how many people are experiencing homelessness in Anoka County. We encourage you to spend time to learn about the recent statistics from Wilder Research and from three local organizations: Stepping Stone Emergency Housing, Family Promise, and HOPE 4 Youth. We believe providing employment, hands-on skill training, and resources help compliment the work that they are already doing.
Are you a nonprofit?
Yes! Compassion Coffee is a 501c3. We rely on donations as we empower people affected by homelessness. All donations are tax-deductible. Our EIN is 99-0845986.
Are you connected to a church?
Compassion Coffee is a nonprofit wholly owned by Compassion Church. The church started in 2021 in Anoka with a focus on caring for people experiencing homelessness. The vision for the church has always been to open a coffeehouse to employ people affected by homelessness, and to use the space for worship. While Compassion Coffee is connected to the church, we have board of directors for Compassion Coffee that meets every other month to help with business decisions and accountability. We also have a bookkeeper that keeps our finances separate from the church so we stay above reproach.
Do you roast your own beans?
We do not roast our own beans. We partner with Silverbird Roasting, started by Tony Querio, and we receive all of our beans through him. He has been instrumental in our process and we have the utmost respect for him; he is a United States Roaster Championship winner with 13 years of professional coffee experience. The quality of his roasts are top-notch!