A non-profit organization from White Rock, B.C. is giving away their coffee shop business, worth about $100,000, through a battle of the pen.

"We want to run an essay contest to see who's got cool ideas and who really wants to take it on," said Rydé Harding, the chair of the Small Ritual Coffee Society. "What we'll give away is everything that you'll need. Everything that's in here, that's ours."

The group opened the cafe by the same name in 2009 at the corner of Johnston Road and Prospect Avenue as a community-building initiative.

It serves as a gathering place and provides employment opportunities to individuals with challenges such as language barriers or disabilities.

The society estimates they've invested over $100,000 in grant funding and donations into the building for equipment, furnishings and kitchen upgrades.

Now, it's ready to move onto its next project.

"It would be better if the old project was still running without us, how awesome would that be? It's like having your kids be independent," said Harding.

The winner of the Small Ritual Coffee Society essay contest wins everything in the store including equipment, furnishings plus a month of free training by existing staff.

Submissions wanted

Interested entrepreneurs are invited to submit a 200-word essay with their intentions for the business.

Ten finalists will be selected in early 2016 and will then have to write another 1,000 word essay.

The winner gets the keys to the coffee kingdom.

Keaton Mazurek, who works at the café, says customers have had a range of reactions to the offer so far.

"Some people have been shocked, others have wondered what's going to happen to the people who are working here," he said. "Some people they just want a good latté and they're wondering where they can go if this place disappears."

The society recognizes the possibility the coffee shop could end up closing.

Winners aren't bound to the vision they lay out in their essays. If they choose to, the winner could sell the equipment and take the money.

However, the society is hoping the "seed" they've planted in the community will flourish.

Gayle Dieleman from White Rock, B.C. is one of the people who has entered to win the coffee shop on Johnston Road. (CBC)

One entrant has already committed to dedicating the coffee shop to being a place for "small acts of kindness."

"You've got to believe in miracles — that people do do really generous things like this," said White Rock resident Gayle Dieleman. "I love that about the idea. It's the sort of thing I would like to do myself, if I took over the café."