On September 21 (the International Day of Peace) the Augustinians officially launched the Brewin’ Peace Coffee Cart, a new Augustinian ministry co-sponsored by the National Shrine and St. Rita of Cascia and the Augustinian Defenders of the Rights of the Poor which seeks to support formerly incarcerated people (returning citizens) as they prepare to re-enter the workforce.  

The 6-12 month program allows a returning citizen to gain valuable skills and mentorship while offering free coffee to pedestrians and visitors of the National Shrine of Saint Rita of Cascia.  The coffee cart also serves as a place where people can gather to learn and dialogue about the issue of crime and mass incarceration and its impact on our city.  

The Augustinians have had a longstanding devotion to prison ministry, serving inside Philadelphia area prisons, operating a national pen pal program, and providing support groups to families of the incarcerated and those who are released.  The Coffee Cart is the latest addition and seeks to be an example to others of creative ways we can work as a community to implement more restorative forms of crime control while making a difference in the life of people impacted by crime and repeat crime (recidivism).  

We are excited to have Tommy Braithwaite as our first candidate in the program, and he was recently featured on Philadelphia’s Channel 3 news.

The Brewin’ Peace Coffee Cart was made possible by the generosity of the Albert & Elaine Borchard Foundation, donations made in memory of Barbara Micucci, and the National Shrine of Saint Rita of Cascia.  To learn more or to support our new ministry, please visit the Brewin' Peace website.