YVETTE MEDINA

Help One Love Café Find Its New Home Hi everyone, My name is Yvette and I’m Rebecca’s sister. If you know Rebecca, you know this fundraiser wasn’t her idea. In fact, she would rather work longer hours, take on another project, or figure it out herself than ask anyone for help. That’s one of the many reasons I’m asking on her behalf. After three years of building one of San Bruno’s most beloved gathering places, One Love Café has been told its lease will not be renewed. While that news has been heartbreaking, there is hope. Rebecca has the opportunity to relocate to a new home in South San Francisco—but she can’t do it alone. We’re asking for your help to keep One Love Café alive. Three years ago, Rebecca survived a traumatic sexual assault in the workplace. When her legal case was resolved, she received a settlement that could have provided financial security or helped her purchase a home. Instead, she made a decision that surprised everyone who knows her. She invested more than $200,000 of her own money to open One Love Café because she believed our community deserved more than another coffee shop. She believed people needed a place where everyone felt welcome, where strangers could become friends, and where local businesses could grow together. That dream became a reality. Over the past three years, One Love Café has become so much more than a place to grab coffee. It has become a community living room. Neighbors gather there every day. Local nonprofits hold meetings. Musicians perform. Artists display their work. Entrepreneurs connect over coffee. Families celebrate milestones. Students study. New friendships begin. It’s a place where people from every background feel like they belong. Today, One Love Café also provides jobs for nine local employees, several of whom live within walking distance of the café. Rebecca has always believed in hiring locally and investing back into the community she loves. But the impact doesn’t stop there. One Love Café proudly supports other small businesses by featuring handmade goods from local artisans, hosting pop-up events for neighborhood makers, showcasing local artists, and celebrating cultures through products from around the world, including artisan goods Rebecca brings back from El Salvador. She has always believed that when one small business succeeds, the entire community benefits. That same belief inspired Rebecca to help create the San Bruno Chamber of Commerce. Over the past three years, she has volunteered thousands of hours supporting businesses throughout the city, organizing community events, advocating for local entrepreneurs, and bringing people together. Under her leadership, the Chamber organized San Bruno’s first Unity Day and later its first Pride celebration—both created with one simple belief at their core: Everyone belongs. Recently, someone told Rebecca, “Your presence in this community has been felt.” As her sister, I couldn’t agree more. When word spread that One Love Café would be losing its location, the community responded immediately. More than 600 people signed a petition asking that the café remain open. Elected officials, including San Bruno Councilmember Marty Medina and Foster City Councilmember Phoebe Shin-Venkat, wrote letters supporting Rebecca and urging that every effort be made to keep One Love Café serving the community. Their support has been incredibly humbling. Although we may not be able to save the current location, we have an opportunity to build something even stronger. Rebecca is currently negotiating a new space in South San Francisco. The new location is nearly twice the size of the current café and would allow One Love Café to expand its local artisan marketplace, host more community events, provide additional opportunities for local makers, and continue serving as a gathering place for years to come. But moving a café isn’t as simple as packing boxes. The new space requires a complete build-out, including plumbing, electrical work, flooring, kitchen construction, permits, equipment installation, signage, moving expenses, and the operating capital necessary to keep our team employed during the transition. Much of Rebecca’s original investment cannot be recovered or moved. This fundraiser isn’t about replacing the money she invested. It’s about protecting everything she built with it. Your donation will help preserve: * A welcoming gathering place for our community * Nine local jobs * Opportunities for local artists, musicians, nonprofits, and entrepreneurs * A business committed to supporting other small businesses * A place where everyone truly feels welcome If One Love Café has ever hosted your event, promoted your business, supported your organization, celebrated your family, provided you with comfort during a difficult day, or simply greeted you with kindness and a great cup of coffee, we hope you’ll consider helping now. Every donation—large or small—brings us one step closer to opening our doors again. And if you’re unable to give financially, sharing this campaign with your friends and family is just as meaningful. Rebecca has spent the last three years investing in this community. Today, we’re asking the community to invest in her. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for believing in One Love Café and helping write its next chapter. With love and gratitude, Yvette