La Crosse's 'Good Bean' serves second chances with every cup

LA CROSSE (WKBT) -- At The Good Bean in La Crosse, every cup of coffee comes with a side of second chances. This local café is hiring people in recovery, turning baristas into success stories.

"Adults who are in recovery can come work at the Good Bean and learn some employment skills, customer service, food prep handling — basically, being a barista," explains Shelby Neubauer, VARC Director of Client Services.

Serving more than just coffee

The VARC-run coffee shop, located inside the Coulee Recovery Center at 933 Ferry Street, isn't just serving caffeine — it's brewing a recipe for lasting sobriety.

Chad Ravens, supervisor of the Good Bean, emphasizes, "We don't want anybody permanently employed here. We want them to come in, learn what they need to learn, and move on and better themselves."

Grounds for a new life

For people in recovery, a steady job can be the grounds for a new life — something Ravens knows firsthand.

"This is the first job I've had in some time that I actually feel fulfilled," he said. "I'm actually doing something to better the world, not just another 9-5."

The Good Bean isn't just about employment. It's about building a community that supports recovery one day at a time.

"It gives people the motivation to stay sober one more day — to come in and live one more day. That one more day can turn into two more days, two more weeks, and a lifetime of recovery, and really, that's the goal here."

The daily grind: Customers percolate positivity

Regular customers like Rick Koepp and Ken Gollnick come for the coffee but stay for the connections.

Gollnick quickly notes, "It does good things for the community."

For Koepp, who's also in recovery, the café's mission hits close to home.

"It's hard to get a job in early recovery," he said. "You've already got a bunch of stuff on your plate, and now you still have to make a living so it's nice they can come here, work, and still be around recovery people."

To learn more about The Good Bean, and other recovery-informed employment opportunities with VARC, click here.

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