Hello, my name is Gillian,

As many of you know, I started Littles & Lattes from the heart. This space has been my dream, my labor of love, and my way of giving back to the families of northeast El Paso—an area that is made up of low-income families, immigrant families, and military families like mine—and a community that was greatly in need of a safe, supportive place for children and parents. Over the past few months, I have poured everything—time, energy, and love—into creating a welcoming space for mothers, babies, children, and families in my community.

Now, I’m reaching out because we are facing a critical moment. The recent shutdowns have hit small businesses like ours incredibly hard. Fewer families are able to visit, events have been canceled, and revenue has dropped drastically. These challenges haven’t just affected our customers—they’ve affected my own family, too. As a military spouse, I’ve faced the stress and uncertainty of these shutdowns while trying to keep our doors open for the families who rely on us.

On top of that, due to stress and physical exhaustion, my pregnancy has become high-risk. I’ve been put on bed rest for the health of my unborn child, making my maternity leave absolutely critical. Without support to help me keep Littles & Lattes running, I’m faced with an impossible choice: go on maternity leave to take care of my child and my own health—or stay open for the community I’ve built. No parent should ever have to make this kind of choice.

Littles & Lattes isn’t just a coffee shop or play space. It’s a community hub where families find connection, children grow and learn, and mothers—many of whom are low-income, immigrant, or struggling—receive emotional support and access to critical resources like Narcan, birth control, lactation, and parenting support. It’s a place where exhausted parents leave feeling empowered, isolated mothers find connection, and children flourish in a safe, nurturing environment.

We are asking for your help to raise $5,000—an amount that will allow us to:

1. Support Bella, who rents the back room and provides free, essential programs and resources to local mothers

2. Keep our doors open and safe, so the space remains welcoming for families

3. Continue and expand our Montessori program and children’s enrichment activities, ensuring affordable education for our babies

4. Sponsor families in need, ensuring every family who comes through our doors has access to the support they deserve

After pouring everything we have into this community, I’m asking for a little love back. Every donation, big or small, helps me continue being there for the families who rely on Littles & Lattes while also allowing me to focus on my pregnancy and health—without sacrificing this space we’ve built together.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for helping me keep Littles & Lattes alive—for the families who need it, for the children who deserve it, and for my own family as we navigate this critical time