This Former Missionary Quit the Field and Opened a Coffee Shop That's Saving Women's Lives
A former Ukraine missionary opened Coffee Hub Ohio in Xenia, employing women in addiction recovery and giving them dignity, accountability, and space to begin again.
Former Missionary Opens Coffee Shop in Ohio to Help Women Escape Addiction and Rebuild Their Lives
Cynthia "Cymp" Stemple, a former missionary who served in Ukraine for years alongside her husband Scott, has built a network of three cafes in Xenia, Ohio, dedicated to helping women recover from addiction.
Coffee Hub Ohio, which Stemple opened in July 2017 after moving to Xenia in 2012, now operates three locations in nearby communities. But the cafes are about far more than coffee.
I'm not in the coffee business, I'm in the people business.
That is how Stemple describes her mission. Each cafe functions as a second chance employer, with thirty percent of the workforce currently in recovery from addiction.
The cafe network works alongside Hope Hub, a nonprofit that provides transitional housing and recovery services for women coming out of addiction. Together they offer a transformational home and additional services designed to improve long term recovery outcomes.
Stemple also launched Print for Purpose, a nonprofit apparel company that provides skill training while supporting Hope Hub's programs. By creating multiple pathways including employment, housing, and skill development, the organization increases the likelihood of lasting recovery.
What makes Coffee Hub unique is how it brings diverse community members together. College students train alongside women in recovery. Courthouse professionals sit near formerly homeless individuals. The model addresses real employment barriers for women with criminal records while building genuine community.
Rather than promising dramatic transformation, the organization offers something quieter and harder: dignity, accountability, and space to begin again.
Stemple's faith has deepened through this work. She references Isaiah 30:18: "Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore, he will rise up to show you compassion."
Ohio Coffee Shop Owner Uses Business as Ministry to Transform Women Battling Addiction
The story of Coffee Hub Ohio is a powerful example of how faith driven entrepreneurship can create real, lasting change in a community. What began as one woman's obedience to a calling has grown into a multi faceted operation touching the lives of women who many others had written off.
The Crusader's Opinion
This is what the Church is supposed to look like. Not grand buildings and polished sermons, but a woman pouring coffee and pouring into broken lives. Cymp Stemple left the mission field in Ukraine and discovered that the mission field was right here at home in small town Ohio. Thirty percent of her employees are in recovery. She did not wait for the government to solve the addiction crisis. She opened a cafe and got to work. This is Christianity with its sleeves rolled up. More of this, less of everything else.
Take Action
- Visit Coffee Hub Ohio online and order coffee to support their mission of employing women in recovery.
- Learn about Hope Hub Xenia and consider donating to support transitional housing for women escaping addiction.
- Support The Shepherd's Shield to help persecuted Christians and those rebuilding their lives around the world.
- Share this story with your church leadership and ask: What are we doing locally to help women in recovery find employment, housing, and community?
- If you own a business, consider becoming a second chance employer. Contact Coffee Hub at coffeehubohio.com to learn how their model works.
