The Coffee Fund

Someone walked into a coffee shop, paid a little extra, and said, “This one’s for whoever needs it next.” No speeches. No spotlight. Just quiet generosity.

Over time, that small act turned into something bigger — a shared understanding that sometimes people don’t need advice, explanations, or systems. Sometimes they just need a warm cup of coffee and the feeling that someone else has their back.

That’s the part that stuck with us.

In Direct Primary Care, we see versions of this every day. A patient who’s been putting off care because money feels tight. Someone who’s embarrassed to ask a “small” question. A family that just needs a little breathing room.

DPC works because it removes the meter. No ticking clock. No surprise bill at the end. No hesitation about whether something is “worth coming in for.” The door is already open.

Much like the coffee fund, the value isn’t just in what’s paid — it’s in what’s removed: friction, fear, and the mental math that too often stands between people and care.

When healthcare is simple and human, generosity shows up naturally. Time becomes easier to give. Questions feel safer to ask. Trust builds quietly, cup by cup.

We don’t think healthcare needs to be louder or more complicated. We think it needs more moments like this — where people are seen, supported, and helped without strings attached.

Sometimes the best systems aren’t the ones that optimize everything. They’re the ones that make kindness easy.

And if that starts with a cup of coffee?
Even better.