Coffee shop pours wisdom into youth aging out of foster care

The 'Cracked Pot' a non-profit coffee shop in Carlisle and Mechanicsburg partners with youth aging out of the foster care system who need a job as they transition into the real world and need extra help.

Emily Shmidt, the owner of Cracked Pot, pours love into the coffee she makes from scratch to pour wisdom into the youth who need a place to grow. She not only serves comforting beverages but also to kids who need sustainable employment and mentorship along the way.

When Emily was a little girl, she could remember herself playing with dolls and rescuing those who were hurt and needed extra care and love. From then on she knew her acts of service would grow from there.

"The Lord reignited this flames of someday opening a coffee shop and it had to do with the mission of supporting kids in foster care. I realized so many kids were slipping through the cracks," said Shmidt.

For six years Shmidt has been providing the tools kids need to learn real-world experiences.

Austin Moore who started the program at the time experienced his struggles in foster care. But from working in the coffee shop, he could rely on the support system here then the system that failed him.

"You are not alone, a lot of us in care are alone. I think oftentimes people expect the worst in others but that is not the case here, it is genuine people that want to help," said Moore.

The Cracked Pot offers an outlet for the youth to learn about themselves, but the growth can be difficult. However, the results Shmidt sees are worth it all.

"It's the ones you can help break those cycles of what they were born into like addiction, neglect, abuse, and things like that. If you can break it for 1 out of 20 then it is worth it," said Shmidt.