Page 68 - October 2017 The Castle Pines Connection

Co-owner of GraceFull Community Cafe Heather Greenwood
(right) with her daughter, Avery. The cafe runs primarily with volunteers and a “pay what you can” philosophy.
Opened in May 2016, GraceFull Community Cafe is a very unique eatery located in a renovated 1900s house near the corner
of South Curtice Street and Main Street in Historic Downtown Littleton. Co-owners Heather Greenwood and her husband
Troy Greenwood have a passion to build community through food.
Heather recalled, “I grew up on a farm in southeast Nebraska and have fond memories of gathering with family and friends around food. When I left home for college, I earned a business degree at Washington University in St. Louis and worked as a CPA as my rst career. AfterfouryearsthatIreallyenjoyed in the eld, I decided to go back to school and pursue my master’s degree in education for an opportunity to invest in young adults. When
I completed school, we decided to move to Colorado and start a family. I got my rst teaching job and taught business at Arapahoe High School for 13 years and loved every minute. During these years, I also started investing in food ministry through our current church home and found that very life-giving and a way I felt called to show people love.”
After returning to the United States, Heather decided it was now or never for pursuing her dream of opening a restaurant with a new clearer vision of that goal than ever before. Her mission in opening GraceFull was to bring all types of people together with food. “Pursuing this dream has been incredibly challenging and even more so rewarding,” Heather remarked. “I have the opportunity
to invest in the Littleton community every day and help ensure that everyone has access to a fresh, sustaining meal each day. My core values re ect many of our learnings from our time
in Uganda, and I use them as a basis to make every decision. They are: invite, welcome and love all people;
show you
the beauty in simplicity; focus on food that is friendly to your own kitchen; use what we have and limit the excess; give back often and with joy.”
Husband Troy was very supportive as Heather began working on her business plan over
the next two years while also working in
the teaching eld part time. GraceFull runs primarily with volunteers and has the special characteristic that meals are offered on a “pay whatyoucan”philosophy. Thosewhocannot afford the $5 breakfast or $8 lunch meals
are given their meal for free. Others who
GATHER
Eat
and moved their family to Uganda, Africa for GIVEa year of service. Their children, Avery and
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The couple decided to make a major life
change in 2012 when they both quit their jobs
Henry, were in fth and third grade at the time.
Heather said, “Some of my favorite memories ofourtimeinUgandawerecookingand conversations with the beautiful women who I’m honored to now call my friends.”
GraceFull Community Cafe