If you’ve ever wandered around downtown Leesburg, you’ve almost definitely stopped by Gruto’s Soft Serve, Sunflower Shack, or Second Nature Coffee. If not, I would just say the visit is worth it. Only recently did I discover yet another local gem. Snuggled next to The Chocolate Palette and The Clothing Closet thrift store is a pristine, unassuming coffee shop called SimplyBe.
SimplyBe Coffee got its start in December of 2020 with the aim to provide employment opportunities to those with disabilities. In 2023, the nonprofit changed their location from the Shenandoah Square shopping plaza to Church Street in downtown Leesburg, a fitting address given the coffee shop’s roots as a Gospel Enterprise of Tree of Life Ministries.
Tree of Life Ministries describes itself as a “Christian non-profit that works with local churches and the wider community to impact the poor and needy.” Other initiatives they’ve headed since their founding in 2012 include Financial Coaching, Mentoring, Food Pantries, and Housing Ministry programs. Coincidentally enough, The Clothing Closet thrift store is another Tree of Life branch that offers free clothing to families in need through the use of vouchers.
SimplyBe’s stated goal aside from offering employment for those with disabilities is “to share the love of Jesus Christ with everyone who walks through [their] doors.” With this effort in mind, they provide services beyond coffee and baked goods. They rent out their conference room for different occasions, provide a play area for kids to enjoy alongside the adults and are intentional about engaging in different fundraisers. Their website presents the option to donate to support their mission and help them expand beyond their Leesburg and pending Purcellville locations.
The Leesburg location’s manager, Cheryl June, shared that SimplyBe’s mission resonated with her in particular since she has an Aunt with special needs. She says that working alongside individuals with similar challenges has given her a greater sensitivity towards them and their families. Moreover, she’s proud to report that SimplyBe’s “staff and volunteers find purpose, feel valued, and have become an integral part of the community.”
June states that the employees at SimplyBe view “Each cup of coffee [as] an opportunity to encourage and uplift.”
