I stopped by the Mercer Island Community & Event Center to drop off magazines—just a quick errand. As soon as I walked in, I saw that coffee was being served.
I thought to myself, "is it Monday?". Within minutes, I saw Jackie Brown of the Mercer Island Community Fund.
Within minutes, we were talking about Community Coffee—one of those simple ideas that quietly brings people together.
What started as a small gathering a couple days a week has now expanded to Monday through Friday, beginning around 9:00 a.m.
“That’s right,” Jackie said. “We’ve been focusing on supporting Parks and Rec in new ways. Traditionally, we’ve funded summer events, but we’re also looking for opportunities to expand that support.”
Community Coffee became one of those opportunities.
“We identified it as a place where we could help out and put our imprint on a very informal presence,” she said. “It’s a space where people can come and enjoy being part of the community.”
The expansion wasn’t necessarily part of the original plan.
“We weren’t expecting it to grow beyond two days,” Jackie added, “but the City’s flexibility made it possible.”
That flexibility—and partnership—is what makes the program work.
The Community Fund brings support and vision.
The City provides space and operational flexibility.
And the community shows up.
No agenda. No pressure. Just people connecting.
Speaking of which, Ryan Daly from Mercer Island Parks and Recreation stopped by and we got a chance to catch up on gearing up for baseball season on the Island.
These kinds of informal spaces matter. They create room for conversation, for connections (new and old), and for the kind of everyday interactions that shape a community over time.
What was meant to be a quick stop turned into a simple reminder: community isn’t built through big gestures—it’s built in small, consistent moments.
Sometimes, all it takes is a cup of coffee.