Albany’s nonprofit Sister to Sister Awakening Inc. announced the soft launch of its new café, Flavors Corner, at 153 South Pearl Street. The venture provides a permanent home for the organization’s faith‑based programs that empower young women and serve the broader community.
Permanent space for vital programs
Founder and CEO Maisah Abdul Walton, who grew up facing the challenges the nonprofit now addresses, said the café will allow the group to host regular workshops on sex‑trafficking prevention, anti‑bullying education, and peer‑to‑peer support groups. “We do sex‑trafficking workshops. We do anti‑bullying workshops. We do peer‑to‑peer support groups, like whatever we can do to encourage, uplift and teach the young women,” Walton explained.
Vice President Jewel Barton, who also has a background in culinary arts, added that securing a $1,200‑per‑month lease gave the sisters a place they can call their own. “I do have a small background in culinary arts, so, I mean, I’m like, we have to do something. So we just took the initiative to find a place to call our home,” Barton said.
Serving the wider community
Flavors Corner is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. during its soft‑launch period throughout November, with a grand opening slated for December 5, 2026. While the café sells coffee and light fare to the public, the sisters have pledged a limited amount of coffee each day for the unhoused and seniors. “If you have any donations of (unused and unopened) coffee, please give it to us as decaf and regular. It does not matter,” Barton said.
The nonprofit invites donations of coffee, as well as monetary contributions, to sustain its mission. Interested donors can email Maisah at [email protected] or send checks to the café’s address, Suite 102.
Faith‑driven mission
Sister to Sister Awakening’s work is rooted in Christian values, aiming to give girls a better life than the founders experienced at that age. By providing a stable venue for education and outreach, the organization hopes to strengthen families and communities throughout Albany.
The café’s opening marks a significant step for the nonprofit, moving from temporary locations and libraries to a dedicated space where faith, service, and entrepreneurship intersect.
Original reporting: CBS 6 WRGB Albany (local) — read the source article.
