Once a week the community garden of the Newsong Church is packed with students from Lonehill and San Dimas High Schools. Each makes their way through the crowd in an attempt to get either coffee or a snack. Some students may think of their enjoyment of the event as a way to get some food and coffee to keep them refreshed and do some homework. The community at the church hopes that it improves students’ sense of community and gives them a safe place to rest.

The community at Newsong church hopes to strengthen the students’ sense of community. They believe a lack of community can be detrimental to students’ mental health and school work. School time is often a time for learning that disallows students to find community in their school. Catherine Booth, a volunteer at the church says, “An opportunity to meet new people, I think that’s what life is all about, meeting new people”

Students overall share a positive response to the snacks and coffee. “The coffee helps me stay awake and do my homework,” said Alexis Haro (12th grade). The majority of them do not stay after getting their food, a small minority do stay and sit at the benches. Which allows them to have a break before getting where they need to be.

Before there were about a hundred students enjoying snacks provided by the church, it had a different plan. On a hot day during the summer Pastor Grant observed the crowded streets that created traffic for parents picking up their children after school. He felt as if iced coffee would be a nice addition to the parents. Something to have before they pick up their students. On the first day of giving out coffee, no parents showed up. While students walked by they offered coffee to them, turning the coffee day into a student event.