The Bridge Cafe, located at 1074 Higuera St. in downtown SLO, creates social change one bite at a time. Joining Restorative Partners’ dozens of other wraparound programs and services, The Bridge Cafe creates a community for justice-involved individuals to seek employment, gain empowered education, and enter the workforce in a supported, sustainable way. Simultaneously, The Bridge Cafe allows the community to change lives and engage in restorative practices in a simple way: by grabbing a bite to eat and meeting our staff.
In partnership with Cuesta College’s Culinary Arts Foundation, The Bridge Cafe provides paid experience for justice-involved individuals seeking a certificate of specialization in culinary arts. Upon completion of the program, Restorative Partners assists participants with finding culinary employment. Additionally, as a social enterprise, all proceeds from the cafe are fed back into Restorative Partners’ programs and services.
Restorative Partners is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit dedicated to transforming lives impacted by crime through healing services and relationships. They provide over thirty in-custody programs, operate five clean and sober living homes, and offer accompaniment through reentry mentorship. In all of their work, they seek to reduce violence and lower recidivism by providing a continuum of care from incarceration through reincorporation in our community.