A man in San Francisco, California, is making sure essential workers in his area have what they need to keep going during the coronavirus pandemic.
Just as Ben Ramirez was about to open a coffee shop in his North Beach neighborhood, the coronavirus pandemic forced him to put his plans on hold, according to KRON.
However, Ramirez was not about to let that stop him from pouring up a free cup of joe for those who live and work near his home on Pfeiffer Street.
Now, every day from eight a.m. until noon Ramirez makes coffee and hands it to people through a window that overlooks the sidewalk outside his family’s house.
“We decided to give coffee to all the people in the neighborhood to give people a little bit of comfort while all this is happening,” he said, adding, “Everybody has been happy and thankful.”
To practice good social distancing, the aspiring coffee house owner uses a toy gorilla arm to deliver the cups to those waiting outside.
“Keep my distance from people with this little guy. It’s how I deliver coffee to people, with this little arm that I stole from my son,” he explained.
To advertise, Ramirez places a sign beneath the window that reads: “Free! Coffee… Contactless Pour-Over for All Front Line Workers, USPS, FedEx, UPS, DHL, Nurses, Etc. Neighbors are All Welcome Donations on Venmo! @benramirez.”
The generous barista said the location is perfect for his service to the community.
“I’ve always wanted to do something out of this window,” he commented, adding that he hoped to bring some sort of normalcy back to his neighborhood while everyone was staying separated due to the current health crisis.
“They can’t go to coffee shops anymore, so it’s a resemblance of a normal life again,” he noted, adding, “The support has been awesome.”