Lighthouse Missions opens Liminal Coffee, a new business offering jobs to those in recovery

The coffee shop aims to provide employment opportunities and support personal growth for individuals transitioning out of homelessness and addiction.

Published on Feb. 7, 2026

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Lighthouse Missions, a nonprofit organization in Bellingham, Washington, has opened a new coffee shop called Liminal Coffee that offers jobs to individuals who have faced challenges finding work after years of homelessness and addiction. The coffee shop is part of Lighthouse Missions' efforts to help transform lives holistically by providing not just shelter and meals, but also workplace development opportunities to build self-worth and dignity.

Why it matters

Liminal Coffee represents an innovative approach to supporting those in recovery, providing them with stable employment and a pathway to reintegrate into the community. By offering jobs to individuals who may have struggled to find work due to their backgrounds, the coffee shop aims to empower them and help break the cycle of homelessness and addiction.

The details

Liminal Coffee is located on the bottom floor of Lighthouse Missions' new shelter that opened in 2024. The coffee shop was planned for years as a way to provide jobs to residents going through the mission's recovery program, which includes counseling, life-skills training, work therapy, and other support services. The goal is to give these individuals a sense of purpose, self-worth, and the opportunity to reconnect with their families by showing they are actively working to improve their lives.

  • Liminal Coffee opened in February 2026.
  • The idea for the coffee shop began taking shape over 10 years ago at Lighthouse Missions' Drop-In Center.

The players

Lighthouse Missions

A nonprofit organization in Bellingham, Washington that provides meals, shelter, and recovery programs to help homeless individuals transform their lives.

Hans Erchinger-Davis

The president and CEO of Lighthouse Missions, who played a key role in the development of Liminal Coffee as part of the mission's efforts to offer workplace opportunities to those in recovery.

Justin Reeves

The chief operating officer at Lighthouse Missions, who helped shape the vision for Liminal Coffee as a space for community gathering and personal growth.

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What they’re saying

“Our big picture is helpings lives change, transformed holistically, not just having a place to live, but having a thriving life, with your family, in the workplace, your own sense of self awareness, in your own spiritual life. That's our aim for people that are incredibly suffering places.”

— Hans Erchinger-Davis, President and CEO, Lighthouse Missions (The Bellingham Herald)

“The idea for Liminal Coffee began taking shape in the Drop-In Center over 10 years ago, but it needed a space where the vision could be fully realized. That dream, for a long time, has been to create a shared community coffee shop that mixes the development and flourishing of Lighthouse Mission guests with the community and relationships that come about within common spaces like a coffee shop.”

— Justin Reeves, Chief Operating Officer, Lighthouse Missions (The Bellingham Herald)

What’s next

Lighthouse Missions plans to expand its job training efforts by opening a donut shop and a 3D printing business in the future to provide more employment opportunities for residents in recovery.

The takeaway

Liminal Coffee represents a innovative model for supporting individuals in recovery, empowering them with stable employment and a pathway to reintegrate into the community. By offering jobs to those who may have struggled to find work, the coffee shop aims to restore a sense of self-worth and dignity, ultimately helping to break the cycle of homelessness and addiction.