Pay It Forward: A Cafe that Connects with the Community

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Daniel Manan works security at the Wyandotte County Courthouse, which is down the street for the Connect Cafe.

Manan eats there every day and considers the staff like family.

The Connect Cafe is connected to Foster Adopt Connect, a local nonprofit that supports fosters and their families. The cafe hires and trains teens who age out of the foster system.

“The teenagers who work at the cafe are getting on-the-job training,” says Manan, “and this gives them a brighter outlook for the future.”

While working security at the Wyandotte County Courthouse, Daniel sees firsthand why the work the cafe is doing is vital to the future of these teens.

Manan sees lots of teens who have made bad choices so knowing the cafe is supporting them, he wants to help support the cafe.

We went to Connect Cafe near 7th and Armstrong to surprise Randy and his wife, Laurie, who have adopted through foster care. They raised five biological children, adopted 23 others and guided and supported thousands of others and their families.

To thank them for everything they’ve been doing for the community and for Connect Café, we presented them with this week’s Pay It Forward $400 gift card.

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