Yellow Cat Cafe gives back despite COVID-19 setbacks
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- “I don’t think that there was not a single staff member who wasn’t in tears last year,” says Yellow Cat Cafe owner, Stacey Wilson.
Last year, the Yellow Cat Cafe put on their Christmas at the Cat event. The first graders at Madison Steam Academy visited the cafe for the chance to decorate cookies, read books, meet Santa and receive Christmas gifts full of school supplies, food, coloring books and more. For some children, this was a day of “firsts” for them. Wilson explains every child deserves to celebrate the holiday.
“Being a kid is hard enough, in any given year, but then this year has been such a strange year. A lot of kids at Madison are facing things we cannot even imagine, homelessness, domestic violence in their home, being in the foster care system somethings that interfere with them having a great Christmas,” says Wilson.
This year, due to COVID-19 restrictions, the Yellow Cat Cafe cannot open their doors to the entire first grade at Madison. However, they are still planning to have Christmas at the Cat, but this time, they’re taking it to the kids.
“This year we cannot do the exact same thing because we cannot bring that many kids together, so we are going to take the Christmas to them,” says Wilson.
The Yellow Cat is packing bags full of things such as coloring books, school supplies, grocery gifts cards, at home cookie decorating kits, and hot chocolate kits to deliver to the homes of the first graders at Madison. Wilson says even though this year has been hard for all businesses, the community continues to step up for the café. Because of this, it was an easy decision to continue helping the kids.
“People have always been very kind to us, and it is important to share that kindness back out into the community, and their kids for heaven sakes they deserve the best Christmas ever,” says Wilson.
If you want to help the Yellow Cat Cafe with this year’s event, you can make any cash, card or check donation by calling (574) 233-2233 OR through their venmo @yellowcatcafe-christmas. The cafe is also accepting donations of coloring books, school folders and notebooks, grocery gift cards, and 1st grade level story books. They are accepting donations until December 11th. For further information, visit their Facebook page here.