SERVING UP CHANGE
Mississauga’s Studio 89 aims to be not just a café, but a hub for community events,
Hassan Syed goes to Studio 89 for more than just the coffee. He goes to help make the world a better place.
Syed, a 31-year-old project manager, makes his way to the café at least once every two weeks. “Normally, when you go to one of these coffee joints, you’re supporting a business, which is fine. But here, you’re supporting a movement — a cause,” he said.
“Anything I buy goes toward what they stand for, and I love what these guys stand for.”
Studio 89, at Tomken Rd. and Eglinton Ave. in Mississauga, is a project of Youth Troopers for Global Awareness, a non-profit organization that’s been actively involved in social justice issues in the GTA — particularly Mississauga — for 10 years.
“We recognized the gaps in our community and wanted to fill these gaps,” explained Sheryl Sharma, cofounder of the YTGA Studio 89 and director of business and finance.
“There was a lack of fair-trade goods available within our community, a lack of free venues available for non-profits and other individuals and organizations and a lack of free resources available for those who can’t afford to pursue their passions.”
They set out to create something that would fulfil those needs.
The 19-month-old fair-trade, organic, bird-friendly and rainforestcertified café and community hub has hosted more than 500 free events, classes and workshops. “We do a lot of ‘empowerment through the arts’ workshops,” said Sharma.
“We’ve been hosting free paint nights, since a lot of members in our community may not have the resources to go and pay for one. We bring in local artists who volunteer their time to teach our community members so they can pursue their passions cost-free.”
But not everyone comes for the events. The creativity and comfort of the place attracts students, artists and casual business meetings. Syed was there with Vilayath Ali, a 27year-old grant writer, to discuss an upcoming project.
“I’ve never been here before,” said Ali. “But I already feel super comfortable.”
“It’s like a living room!” interrupted Syed.
“That’s exactly it,” agreed Ali. “You just put your stuff down, sit and have acasual conversation. It’s a very easygoing, friendly place.”
There’s a reason for the living-room comparisons. The furniture all came by way of community donations, including chairs, sofas, couches and ta- bles. Nothing needed to be purchased during the renovation, except a few kitchen appliances, thanks to donations, sponsors and some funding from organizations such as TransCanada and the Olive Tree Foundation.
“This just showed us that people had belief in what we were doing for the community,” said Sharma.
Studio 89 receives two funding streams: an Ontario Trillium Foundation grant, which helps pay for some staff positions; and a Mississauga Arts and Culture Division grant, which supports the studio’s programming.
The social-enterprise approach is to try to maximize social impact, as opposed to profits for external shareholders.
Hosting an event is free and attending is free; all the café asks is that attendees purchase a coffee to help cover costs and sustain the operation. There are four paid staff positions and more than 25 volunteers, who each take weekly shifts to help run the place.
Ann Huynh, a 17-year-old volunteer, said she already finished her high school volunteer-hours requirement but comes to meet new people and make new connections.
“I’ve seen cafés before,” she said. “But I’ve never seen a place where all the workers are volunteers. It’s a great place with great values.”