Jesse Lee is the co-founder and executive director of Street Company, a non-profit that runs a wholesale coffee roasting social enterprise in Lancaster called Casters Coffee. The organization was founded by the homeless for the homeless, going back to when Jesse met some of them during an outreach day at a local church. He befriended them and started a support group. That's where they got the idea.
"We asked each other this question, what should we do? What is the most important thing for unhoused people, for people who are experiencing homelessness? And everybody said, we need jobs," said Lee.
Instead of waiting for someone to give them a job, they decided to create their own jobs.
"To my surprise, it just kept growing. And at a certain point, I thought... This is not gonna fail, we're gonna get bigger and bigger," said co-founder Marco Van Den Heuvel went from depressed and homeless to getting his family back together.
"You get a sense of responsibility, you get back your sense of pride, so yeah this is big," said Van Den Heuvel.
Isaac Camat says the Street Company saved his life.
" I was either deciding on going to jail for the rest of my life, being dead, or being in the hospital for the rest of my life," said Camat, a sales representative with the company.
Now, he's earned his family's trust back and gets to take care of his children.
"I'm able to help pay bills. You know, I've two cars now. I'm able to see my kids whenever I want, able to buy them whatever they want, able to put food in the fridge, money on the table," said Camat.
All while changing the narrative around homelessness.
"Homeless people are not the problems of our community, but they can be a great contributing member of our community if there are employers who understand homelessness and where they're coming from," said Lee.
Their employees are either formerly homeless or currently homeless. From hospitals to coffee shops, their clientele continues to grow. Last year they did $360,000 in revenue. This year, they're looking at $500,000. They say they're aiming at $1 million next year.