A cup to go with more than coffee in it

On the one ear, we are subjected to the intemperate braying of an orange poltroon, but listen to the words of Breanna Zolfo in your other ear, and let them wash over your soul....

"Believe there is good in the world. Be the good" is what she says.

Breanne owns the Café Fresco, out in Crown Point (where they once bragged of having an escape-proof jail, until the night John Dillinger checked in, and, finding the amenities lacking, checked right out again), Indiana.

You know those little cardboard cup sleeves that are that stand between your fingers and second-degree burns from a hot cuppa mocha java? Well, Breanne and her team write little inspirational slogans on theirs, to send people off into the world with a cheerier mien.

(Ironic that a word pronounced the same as "mean" can also stand for sweet politeness, eh?)



Breanne is 31, used to be a nanny, and gave up changing diapers for changing coffee filters six years ago when she opened the Café.

One day, according to what she told CBS, it just seemed like a good idea to add some inspiration to the caffeine.

"Well, I just hoped that it would, like, add some positive light to their day. Because it's not everyone gets to experience that in the day," is how she put it.

Well, it went over well, and so she moved to step two...she challenged her customers:  perform one of those random good deeds, and get a free cup of jitter juice.

Now, Breanna estimates she's poured out thousands of cups of covfefe for those who poured their heart out to others, and reported making contributions to charities, treating the next person in line to their morning jolt.

What's more, there is a tip jar on the counter at her spot, and that tip money goes out to the community every month in various ways.

Zolfo has surprised grocery shoppers by paying for their chow, things like that.

And once, she bought a bike for a homeless guy, and that worked out very well!

"We had this one person that, he was homeless, and we had bought a bike for him. And he came back two years later after we had purchased the bike for him, and he said, 'You don't know how much you've changed my life. Like, because you bought me a bike, I got a job, and I got an apartment.' And even talking about him makes me cry," Zolfo said.

Breanne says, "I hope that it's spread positivity throughout, like, not just this community, but other communities that are around us … and for us to play a small part in a lot of people's lives is the most amazing feeling."

Every now and then it's good to wash out our eyes and ears like this.