TASTE
Nilda Valmores , executive director of My Sister ’ s House , says the social enterprise supports a “ culturally-based desire to be independent .” like the Tuxedo Mocha ( featuring both cocoa and white chocolate powder ) and the Chunky Monkey Latte ( shot through with banana , peanut butter and chocolate syrups ). Volunteers are trained on a variety of tasks , like counting money , preparing food , handling the cash register and customer service , as well as some American expressions . These are transferable skills that can be used anywhere , says Valmores .
Food can play a powerful role in healing , she adds . “ The phrase ‘ comfort food ,’ I believe , says it all . Most of us have memories of favorite foods and favorite smells which remind us of home ,” she says . “ Often for immigrant families , that reminds them of culture and traditions and of home . Being able to do what you are used to is important to helping one feel safe and comfortable .” But My Sister ’ s Café isn ’ t just about the food , she says . It ’ s about building skills , confidence and independence .
“ I ’ m proud to say we ’ ve had women go on to work at other restaurants as well as companies like Apple and Amazon ,” she says . Milestones like saving money to buy a car help women build confidence so they know they can do things for themselves . They typically aim to train about 10 people a year , says Valmores . “ So if you were to judge this social enterprise by looking at numbers , we wouldn ’ t do as well . But if you judge it by the change it ’ s making for the women that we help , we ’ re an A plus .”
The cafe has managed to keep going through the pandemic thanks to the support of several organizations , including the Sacramento Kings Foundation , Sacramento Regional Community Foundation , the Women ’ s Foundation of California and the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence . “ During the hardest part of COVID-19 when people weren ’ t coming , understandably so , I was so glad we were able to pivot with their help ,” Valmores says . “ We were very lucky we were able to keep this place afloat and do the important work we were meant to do . Now we ’ re excited to be able to hire and train more people .”
Future plans include reopening a second Capitol Mall location that opened briefly for a few months prior to the pandemic . A new retail shop , My Sister ’ s House Treasures , recently opened on 10th Street in the former location of Sakura Gifts , a mainstay of Sacramento ’ s Japanese community that closed soon after its 50th anniversary last year . “ It ’ s funny ,” says Valmores . “ We have a newsletter , we ’ ve held galas and other community events , and yet sometimes social enterprises like the cafe are the first way many people learn about My Sister ’ s House .”
As COVID-19 continues to impact vulnerable families , Saint John ’ s and My Sister ’ s
House will continue to provide services and opportunities for women to gain the confidence and skills they need to move on to better lives .
The smallest moments can be life-changing lessons at these programs . Megan , a client at Saint John ’ s , remembers a time when she dropped a full tray of chicken on the kitchen floor . “ I had just finished cleaning it for lunch that day when I felt the tray slip from my hand ,” she recalls . “ It just shot my mood down .” Seeing her distress , her trainer turned things around , helping her clean up the mess and find another option . “ She helped me see that accidents happen , and they will happen . What matters is how you handle it .”
Robin Douglas is a freelance writer , artist and photographer based in Sacramento . She earned her B . A . in English at Sacramento State and spent 13 years in nonprofit communications before launching Robin Douglas Creative Services in 2020 .
For a Q & A with Plates Café cofounder Bobbin Mulvaney , visit comstocksmag . com / bobbin .
40 comstocksmag . com | March 2022