‘Spiritual Soldiers’ wage war against addiction

By Julianna Bonnett

“Grabbing a coffee” has purpose and value at Spiritual Soldiers, a cafe that offers “Coffee with a Cause.”

The cafe, which opened in early June, is known as a safe place for recovering addicts to drink java and speak with like-minded people to help them on their path to recovery.

Spiritual Soldiers Coffee Compound was a dream project brought to life by founders Mike Brown and Bianca Oliverio. Brown, who started his path to recovery a year ago after entering a recovery home, said the cafe, and his sense of mission, saved his life.

“I wanted to utilize as we say the wreckage from our past is now our greatest aspect. I wanted to do all this to show individuals it’s OK to struggle from a substance abuse problem,” said Brown. “I want to tear down the stigma that everyone has when it comes to addicts. That we’re hopeless and there is no distinct path for us.”

After admitting his substance abuse issues, Brown was put on a 90-day intensive treatment program of ‘ask, listen and do as your told.’ In those 90 days, he found things he thought he never would.

“I found hope, I found self-love and respect and learned to care for others. The biggest thing I learned was to be vulnerable,” said Brown. “For once in my life, I started sharing my secrets and no one judged me, they just loved me.”

The coffee compound is located on 1015 Erie St. It only offers coffee but also merchandise with proceeds benefitting treatment centres in the Windsor Area.

“We like to give back as much as we can, some proceeds go towards treatment centres and other proceeds go to a charity of our choice,” said Oliverio. “Right now we’re trying to adopt a family, which means we are trying to give them the best Christmas they can have.”

Brown said Spiritual Soldiers’ mission is to fight back against the global epidemic of addiction.

“Addiction is a war and a war can’t be won without soldiers.”