The way he tells it, it’s like Johnson was purposely led into his life.

Elsea moved to Richmond, and along with Johnson, they put their plans in motion. They found an empty space that would accommodate their needs and raised money through donations and grants. They relied on friends, family and other volunteers to help retrofit the space. They didn’t have a plan so much as an idea, they said — they left the rest up to God.

“We raised money from a lot of people who wanted to see this thing happen, so I took that as a sign,” Johnson said on a Monday night last month as the cafe buzzed with people of all ages, races and backgrounds. The group was gathering to share a meal before a financial literacy discussion that happens every Monday night.

Johnson explained that working in the mental health field opened her eyes to the lack of resources and supports in place to help people succeed once they’ve initiated changes in their life, either through recovery programs or after incarceration.

“Knowing where to look for resources and accessing them on their own ... can be difficult,” she said. “So far it’s been incredible — it’s whatever the community that shows up needs.”