Uplifting women main goal of coffee house

By Simon Pruitt

Seventeen months ago, Hannah Dorsey was at her lowest. She had just been released from a three-year prison sentence, and she didn’t have custody of her two children, or any place to stay. 

Dorsey searched for a home for weeks before finding Exodus Ministries, an organization that provides counsel and housing to local mothers in need. 

After gaining custody of one of her children, she moved into a fully furnished apartment at the complex and began taking their rehabilitation courses.

“They usually reach out and take in women and their children straight from the prisons,” Dorsey explained, “I just happened to find a flier for it when I got out.”

Along with their other rehabilitation efforts, Exodus also partners with local businesses to provide job opportunities for their women. Among those businesses is Well Grounded Coffee Community, a small shop on Garland Road founded by Natalie Huscheck.

Huscheck exclusively hires from organizations like Exodus that seek to uplift impoverished women. When asked why she founded Well Grounded, Huscheck didn’t mince words. 

“The short answer is Jesus.” she said firmly, “The longer answer is that I wanted to do all that I can to bring women out of dangerous environments and get them back on the right track.”

Dorsey was recommended to Well Grounded by Exodus in April 2021. Huscheck recalled the noticeable confidence Dorsey showed to her before getting hired.

“She basically told us we were gonna hire her,” Huscheck said with a laugh. 

When Dorsey’s prediction came true, she quickly assimilated into Well Grounded’s culture, finding untapped potential as a leader. 

“What makes you better suited to be a leader is humility,” Huscheck said, “That’s how Hannah leads.”

After a year of work and mentorship to new hires, Dorsey was named the shop’s “Creative Director,” allowing her to experiment with the food and beverages to add new monthly items to the menu. The change has made Dorsey’s job more fun and challenging by encouraging innovative thinking. In addition to workplace creativity, Dorsey and Huscheck say they’re working on a book about the creation of the coffee shop, featuring profile chapters written by each of the baristas. Thanks to Well Grounded, Dorsey now owns a car and plans to dive into the world of phlebotomy through Dallas’ CitySquare job training program. She says no matter where life takes her, the shop will always feel like home. 

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