Enjoying a heart-warming cup of coffee and helps homeless resume normal lives

The grand opening of Peili mobile cafe

Words by Paula Lin Translated by Anna Yang
Photos by Reflection Photography

Don't be surprised if you catch the fragrance of coffee as you pass by Taichung Railway Station these days. The source is a wooden box filled with barista supplies, positioned atop a bicycle as part of a mobile coffee shop which also displays a variety of magazines and cultural creative products, drawing the attention of passers-by－who stop to buy a cup of coffee and enjoy the leisurely vibe.

In fact, "Peili Station 1" represents a Taichung City government initiative that is creatively helping the homeless by providing them with the opportunity to stand on their own two feet again. Given the diligence and attitudes of the three barista servers there, it's hard to imagine that they were once homeless.

Giving the homeless a chance to stand tall again
Four and half years ago, the Taichung City Government's Social Affairs Bureau, in cooperation with the Long-Yan-Lin Welfare Association, opened Peili Station 1 next to the train station, hiring homeless and giving them responsibility for managing this shop. This year, YWCA (Young Women's Christian Association) was found to be able and ready to deal with the needs of the homeless and has taken over this project as part of an initiative directed towards homelessness and substance abuse.

The store has been redecorated and opened with shelves stocked with The Big Issue Taiwan Magazines and a variety of for-sale cultural creative products. The YWCA hopes to encourage homeless people to find a new life direction through its public promotion of assistance to such individuals.

The special background to this project began with the previous Pappi Coffee Studio owner David Loh, who is cooperating with Station 1 this year. He brews and sells aromatic coffee for NT$80 per cup, encouraging travelers around the station to support the homeless by purchasing the coffee and products of Peili Station 1. Loh himself once suffered through the experience of hitting rock-bottom in life, but someone offered a helping hand to rebuild his life. This personal experience taught him to support other down-and-out individuals and he hopes to change society's impression of such people in need.

Social Affairs Bureau Director Jen-Der Lue notes that the goal is to motivate public support for such services in order to create job opportunities for individuals with unstable economic situations.