Help Mom (Tosha) Rebuild Her Home

Hello Fam - my name is Brianna. I’m the daughter of our dear founder of the Drip Community Coffeehouse LaTosha Baker. My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer surrounding her 51st birthday in October 2024. This came as heartbreaking news for me and our entire family - and I’m sure for some of you. My mother’s first concern was not herself- it was the Drip family and making sure the doors remain open. Her priority is that we must serve the people, as “it could save a life” she said. This speaks to my mom’s character if you never experienced it… once you step into The Drip you can feel the love of home. My mom has served the people my lifetime from our home and wherever she is. I asked my mom what is one wish that we can help with and, just like my mother, she stated all the things The Drip needed to make it better for community. With respect, I asked my mother what is it SHE needs - what is HER wish. She said “I want to go home. I miss my house.” What people may not know my mother has been displaced from her home since 2020 when a wall collapsed, and has been waiting for a chance to return home. My mother so badly wanted to build The Drip for our community so that we have a safe place away from it all. And I want to help her fix her house to go home. My mother’s fight is called the “hippo fight” because hippos run towards the storm. She is hippo-ing through with weekly chemo and still serving at the Drip and making sure - as she says “I want them to know they are loved”. And I want to show her that she too is loved. So - we, her daughters and friends are doing a very special gift for mom - we want to welcome her back to her home. We need everyone’s help. We are starting the hippo fundraiser and volunteering to support mom going home. Let’s do what seems impossible - let’s make her 52 birthday better. If you love the Drip and its community, then help us send her home. It’s gonna take a lot of money to rebuild family, but we can together reach the one wish for Mom’s 52nd birthday. We need volunteers who can help us clean out the house, and a whole host of other things. Most of all we need funding to rebuild the house that was destroyed by weather. Notes to add : From my mother’s home she cooked for the community and gave clothes away - all the those things she do es at the Drip. Community dinners outside, Halloween events for community children who didn’t have many surrounding homes nor community that were there serving . She served women at risk suffering addiction on the streets, taking down their phone numbers and information making sure that they were okay and that in the event of their death their family was contacted. She advocated for the community to remain clean, being a light in the community - so her losing this home was not only devastating for her, but also the community that she served. She gave away children’s backpacks. She opened up a store called

The People's Store - a 2nd hand clothing store - so the community could come find great clothes in for very low prices. This is who my mother is - my mother will tell you her job in this life is to serve God‘s children and her ministry is to be the direct hand of Christ, an imperfect hand, a hand with many flaws, but a representation that human beings can truly love you past all your faults. I see my mother time and time again trying to fix this world in her way - with love, a cup of coffee and a welcome home - my greatest wish as her daughter is to welcome her back to her home where she can continue to comfortably do the work and live her best life. We love you, Mama