Sheridan Road in Uptown, where Cafe Too operates at 4715 N. Sheridan Road. Photo: Warren LeMay from Chicago, IL, United States / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
An Uptown nonprofit that uses restaurants to fight homelessness got a round of attention this month. The Chicago Tribune published a favorable story on Inspiration Corp. and its work with people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
The organization runs two restaurants in the neighborhood that work in different ways. Inspiration Cafe, at 4554 N. Broadway, serves free meals to guests in a sit-down, restaurant-style setting, along with access to a range of support services. Cafe Too, at 4715 N. Sheridan Road, is open to the general public and staffed by students in a culinary skills training program.
Training as a path to work
The Cafe Too model is built around employment. Trainees learn kitchen and service skills on the job, working real shifts for paying customers, with the aim of moving into restaurant jobs elsewhere. Inspiration Corp. pairs that training with access to other services meant to build independence and personal growth.
The approach reflects a broader shift among social service agencies toward programs that combine immediate help with longer-term job preparation. Uptown has long been home to a dense cluster of shelters, clinics and service providers, and the neighborhood’s debates over development often turn on how those agencies fit alongside new condos and retail.
Dining with a purpose
For neighbors, Cafe Too offers a simple way to support the program: eat there. The restaurant is open to anyone, and meals help fund training while giving students practice serving a real dining room.
Inspiration Cafe’s guests, by contrast, eat for free. The restaurant setting is deliberate, with table service intended to treat guests with dignity.
Holiday season is a natural time to visit. Cafe Too’s location on Sheridan Road is a short walk from the Lawrence Red Line station.
Joel Sandoval covers arts, music venues and nightlife.
