Welcome Aboard

Sometimes things come full circle. Just ask Kim Holmes. 

This “Evanston Girl” (ETHS 1982) has joined the Curt’s South team to help provide social service resources, and community connections for our students. Kim has been working with teen mothers for more than 25 years. She started in an interim position at Family Focus running a program called Teen Cuisine. That “temporary” position lasted for 18 years! Now, Kim is excited to be putting her wealth of knowledge of local agencies and resources, as well a passion for empowering teen mothers to take care of themselves and their families, to work at Curt’s South. 

“I want to connect our young women with all of the services, agencies and organizations that Evanston has to offer them,” says Kim. “And, we also want Evanston’s agencies to know about the important work Curt’s South is doing, so we can all work together.”

We Are All Starfish

“While wandering a deserted beach at dawn, stagnant in my work, I saw a man in the distance bending and throwing as he walked the endless stretch toward me. As he came near, I could see that he was throwing starfish, abandoned on the sand by the tide, back into the sea. When he was close enough I asked him why he was working so hard at this strange task. He said that the sun would dry the starfish and they would die. I said to him that I thought he was foolish. There were thousands of starfish on miles and miles of beach. One man alone could never make a difference. He smiled as he picked up the next starfish. Hurling it far into the sea he said, "It makes a difference for this one." I abandoned my writing and spent the morning throwing starfish.”
― Loren Eiseley

Curt's South Officially Opens

The Doors are open at Curt's South and the Neighbors are Thrilled!

Busy First Day at Curt's South

Community Generosity Kicks off Day #1

Our first day started with receiving a $500 grant to Curt’s South from Safer, Stronger Neighborhoods. According to Joey Rodger, Executive Director of Peaceable Cities, " Our initiative supports and encourages all in Evanston who work for peace in our neighborhoods, families and city," she said. "We support Curt’s Cafe and its holistic approach to what it means to find your path. Specifically, this $500 will provide a $250 weekly stipend for a student for two weeks. We encourage others to provide a stipend as a concrete way to support the students working and learning at Curt’s. It’s not just about what can police or the city do, but what can you do so we can all thrive?

Rodger adds, for Information about additional grants we make are available at www.peaceablecities.org.

Yay! Curt's South's First Customers

Carol Borrow and Jim Reardon, who live in the neighborhood are both retired teachers. He goes every monday morning to Curt's on Central so he's very happy to dine at a Cafe serving young women and right nearby where he lives. In fact, he's been anxiously awaiting the arrival of South.  We’ve supported Curt's from the beginning," said Reardon. "We went to the city council meeting long ago. We really like what Susan’s doing."

Healthy Options: Try our Quinoa Egg Breakfast 

In addition to our signature scones and chocolate chip cookies, Curt's South is going to offer a number of healthy options including Quinoa Bowls with eggs for breakfast and Quinoa Bowls with tofu for lunch, kale salad, soups, and  of course our Green Drink and other smoothies.

So Much Happening at Curt's South Already. Stop By Soon!

We Love our Customers!!

Cool people are always stopping in to Curt's.

Meet artist Fran Joy. She's an interesting women who does her work at the intersection of art and social justice. Here are some of her thoughts about her work and about life.

"The purpose behind my work is to show the power, strength, and triumph of the human spirit. As I witness the loss of life and humanity through out the world, I am drawn to those who believe that the power of their faith and the strength of their character are what truly matters and will make a difference in the lives of those they share the planet with. In my own spiritual journey, heavy losses have made each blessing standout as more meaningful and relevant to who I have become. 

In my portraits, I emphasize the eyes—windows into the soul that reveal the impact of their experiences. Some may be powerful icons like Mandela, Obama, or Maya Angelou. Others are simply meant to convey a message that I hope people will stop for a moment to think about. Other works include custom hand painted wall mounts on wood and tribal masks and images on canvas. "

Who is Fran?? She's a local Evanston artist working in oil pastels and acrylics. She currently serves on the Evanston Arts Council and Art and Business Committee. She also sits on the board of the YEA foundation (Young Evanston Artists). She’s currently working on an exhibit to be displayed at Garrett Theological Seminary on Northwestern’s campus for Black history month.