Catalyst Coffee Company Needs Our Help!
FCC launched Catalyst Coffee Company in early 2014 as a nonprofit marketplace ministry intent on making a difference in Downtown Greeneville by making money to give away money and providing community space to gather and build relationships. Not only have we become consistently profitable since late 2018, but since the beginning we have been giving away 100% of our profits, to the tune of over 50 already-existing ministries and other community nonprofits!
There’s always a lot of activity going on at Catalyst every day, but they’ve recently encountered some challenges that need our help! So we sat down with Sandy Nienaber, Catalyst GM, to get the low-down with Catalyst Coffee’s need for renovations, to find out what’s going on and how we can help! We’ve consolidated her answers into bullet points, to make things quick and easy to understand.
What is happening?
- Reflooring the kitchen–everything has to come out!
- Replacing the espresso machine and dishwasher.
- Creating a new, more welcoming, and more easily accessible front counter.
- Replacing the sink and countertop.
- Replacing the toilet and adding new bathroom fixtures.
- Tinting the main room’s top windows to help with customer and employee visibility and to reduce electrical costs.
- Cosmetic and aesthetic adjustments and additions: painting, hanging shelves, lighting, etc.
- Communicating our mission aesthetically by implementing verbiage and signage throughout the entire space to tell customers why we exist and who we serve!
Why are we doing it?
- The floor in the kitchen area is becoming unworkable and causing health violations.
- Equipment is becoming outdated (espresso machine, dishwasher, few other items.) We have begun spending more money to fix the equipment than we should.
- To create a more welcoming customer atmosphere.
- To communicate Catalyst’s mission more effectively to customers.
- To continue to build on 6 years of Downtown Greeneville involvement to say we’re #ForGreene County and ongoing development of downtown!
What will it cost?
- $40,000 total
- $11,500 has already been given by the Catalyst Board. Thanks, y’all!
- The FCC Elders have committed a minimum of $10,000 from existing FCC funds… (Thanks, FCCers! The Elders couldn’t have committed these funds had you not already been generous!)… which brings the current total commitment to $21,500, but the Elders have extended an extra-mile challenge of up to an additional $5,000.
- What this means is that, if the congregation gives $15,000, that will be matched from existing FCC funds (Thanks again, FCCers!) and Catalyst will have what it needs to complete all the renovations!
- So far, as of Friday, March 20, we have $13,250, (Thanks to those who have given!), so we only need $1,750 more from the congregation to turn the last $5,000 into $10,000 and get to 100% of renovation costs! Well done, y’all!
How long will it take?
- 2-3 weeks for materials to arrive.
- A little more than 2 weeks, once equipment arrives.
On what dates will the work take place?
- As of this latest update, Saturday, March 21, renovations are already taking place! The shop was closed on Monday, March 16 and plans to reopen Wednesday, April 1!
Who’s helping remodel?
- General Morgan Inn will start with sub-floor updates, fixes, and reinforcements. (Shout-out to our friends at GMI for helping!)
- Reliable Building will be doing most of the remodeling.
- Any volunteers who can help with misc. prep, clean-up, table woodwork, painting, etc.
How to learn more or give:
- To help by volunteering, contact General Manager, Sandy Nienaber, at sandy.nienaber@comcast.net.
- To help financially, click “Give” above, text “help” to 84321, or write a check and leave it in the bucket on Sunday morning, and make sure to specify your giving by choosing the “Catalyst” fund (electronically) or using the word “Catalyst” (on the memo line of your check).