C.O. homeless teens get chance to become baristas

The Cascade Youth and Family Center’s transitional living program, also known as the LOFT, serves homeless and runaway teens in Central Oregon. The center has partnered with Tag It Forward Coffee to create a program called Coffee for a Cause.

Through this partnership and a renovated coffee van, the legacy of one Bend man lives on.

The 1960s van was donated by a local couple to honor their late son Taggart, who took his life in 2012. Taggart, also known as Tag, had a thriving mobile coffee business in Oklahoma City, where he made it a point to hire struggling teens.

“Tag didn’t always charge for what he did. If somebody needed help, he would say, ‘Hey, I’m going to give you this, and you pass it on to somebody else,'” recalled Tag’s friend, Brent Jacobs.

Similar to paying it forward, tagging it forward soon become a motto around town, and the name of a new coffee business.

More than 20 LOFT (Living Options For Teens) residents have learned to be a barista by working at the Tag It Forward coffee van.

Brent said he thinks Tag would be pleased that the company is helping so many.

“A lot of times, being a teenager the hardest thing is getting your first job,” explained Cascade Youth and Family Center’s Rachel Larson. “So to have that opportunity to get some experience, and get your feet wet, gain some confidence has been really empowering.”

LOFT residents say they have gained new customer service skills and confidence from working in the van.

“When we do the coffee cart, it also shows us how to make change,” said Victoria Tompkins.

On Friday, LOFT baristas handed out free coffee outside Kendall Toyota in Bend. For every coffee served, Kendall donated a dollar back to the Tag It Forward program. The event was part of Kendall’s 12 Days of Caring.

Kendall Community Relations Manager Tressa Shuttleworth said, “The best is when people try to pay for their coffee, and they would realize that it was free and learn more about the program.”

The program not only teaches teens to make coffee, but it gives them hope for a better future.

For more information about Tag It Forward, visit: http://www.tagitforwardcoffee.com/