In the heart of the Barton Street community runs a small, unique café. 541 Eatery and Exchange was started by a group of passionate individuals, including many from Compass Point, who saw the need to create a hub for people to connect over great food. Barton street, which runs along the North End of the city of Hamilton has had its own unique challenges, specifically those who struggle to find healthier food options. The café, which was led by Sue Carr until 2022, was established in 2014 and quickly became a hub of activity and connection for many. 541 Eatery & Exchange also operates as a ministry of Compass Point under Charitable Status.
One main feature of 541 that stood out was the button jar. Patrons could purchase buttons for the jar, which would then be used by someone who couldn’t afford a meal. The buttons substitute for money and help feed those in need of a good meal.
Unfortunately, when the Pandemic hit, the needs of the community members became much more complex, whether it be from mental health challenges, homelessness, increased drug use, job loss or physical health needs. In addition, other shelters and centres where people could get help in the area had closed or reduced services which drove more people to seek help at 541.
Sue Carr, former Executive Director of 541
The staff continued to have a deep love and care for the community, but this had an emotional and physical toll on them. Even though Compass Point provided third party mental health support to the staff team, which was well received and needed, there was a darkness and heaviness over 541 coming out of the pandemic.
In 2023, as the local encampments grew larger and the need greater, 541 was forced to close their doors in July to deal with not only the needs of the community, but also the needs of the 541 team who were slowly struggling with keeping up with the demands.
During this time, the team also saw leadership changes as Director Sue Carr celebrated her retirement, Barb England, Director of Operations at Compass Point stepped in to help support the café, and 541 welcomed new Executive Director, Justin Egenisa.
We sat down to talk to both Barb and Justin about the changes, challenges and what’s ahead for 541.
Barb, can you tell us a little about how all of these changes impacted the daily operations and well-being of the team?
The closure in the summer of 2023 was a very difficult but necessary decision for the health of the staff and the long-term sustainability of 541. Initially, a short closure was planned in response to the homeless issue in Hamilton that had overwhelmed our ability to properly maintain our services, but it became apparent that a longer closure was needed.
The collective wisdom of the 541 Board & Compass Point, along with Justin’s leadership and much prayer, carried us through the initial difficulties and impacts of these decisions.
After getting through the initial challenges, we began to plan and dream about 541’s future and what that would look like.
What happened during the time 541 was closed?
Through God’s provision a consultant was provided to us who led us through a strategic planning process with a diverse group of people who had a desire to see 541 thrive. This process was a breath of fresh air and couldn’t have been done effectively while keeping the café open at the same time.
Rather than immediate crisis management, we were able to reflect on the origins of 541 and what it was envisioned to be when it first started. The end result was a strategic plan to guide our path forward. During this time, we also saw the support from the larger community around 541 who encouraged us that we were doing the right thing, and that we were making good decisions for both the future and the people we are there to serve.
One highlight of 2023 for me was being able to help serve the Christmas dinner alongside the staff and volunteers to our community who, for most of them, this was their only Christmas celebration.
What are you most excited about for 541 in this coming year?
This June 541 Eatery and Exchange will be celebrating their 10th anniversary which is very exciting! This is when our new Strategic plan will be shared. 541 has opened in a much healthier place with clear structures, policies and procedures in place for staff to better manage the community needs.
We have established strategic partnerships with other organizations such as the Canadian Mental Health Association, Hamilton (CMHA). We have a community room that is staffed by a Nurse and Peer Support Worker from CMHA who are available to meet with community members who need support with connecting with social services, help with physical needs, or maybe just a safe space to talk to someone who can provide some guidance.
This takes the pressure off our staff when managing needs that they are not equipped for so that they can instead focus on serving the café patrons. There is excitement and joy in the café which has lifted the darkness that was felt there just a year ago.
Since reopening, 541 has introduced a community room at the back of our cafe. Community partners have access to this space to provide essential services such as mental health support or medical care.
Meet Justin!
Justin joined 541 as the Executive Director in February of 2023. After serving as house manager at the café in 2017-2018, he moved to Winnipeg to work in a variety of capacities, including leading the Spiritual Care team at Concordia Hospital.
We asked Justin about some of the challenges 541 has been through over the last few years, and what we can expect to see in the coming year.
This past year has seen some been significant changes for 541, both in internally and in the community around 541. What has impacted you the most and what are you looking forward to this coming year?
The journey from needing to temporarily shut down operations to reopening at 541 Eatery & Exchange has been a transformative experience. Personally, witnessing the resilience and spirit of our community has been the most inspiring part of it all. We faced some pretty significant challenges leading up to our closure. There were many moments where I thought we’d have to hang up the towel and move on, but I could not see any pathway other than staying the course and building into our team so that we could be more healthy and aligned with our mission.
Reopening Again!
The reopening marked a renewal of 541’s commitment to helping our community members to support one another, to build a space for mutuality and dignity are recognized as core values. The outpouring of community support, both in terms of volunteers and donors, has been a testament to how inspired people are by these values and by what we do. 541 plays a vital role in the lives of those it serves, and people are excited to get behind it. This has been incredibly empowering and inspiring and I feel so carried by the gifts and the prayers that people bring to the table.
As 541 has reopened, one of the things I am most excited about it is how our team is working together. Taking an extended break allowed many of our team members to seek rest and renewal. We’ve also added new members to the team.
We’ve been having lots of discussions about how to work well together and we’ve also introduced an employee handbook with policies and supports that are leading to health and wellbeing on the team. This is an exciting thing to witness and watch take place as a leader.
This past Christmas, ahead of their official re-opening, 541 held a Christmas bizzare with local vendors and artists. It as was a wonderful way to welcome back the community and supporters.
What’s in the works for 541 in this upcoming year?
541 is thrilled to be launching several new initiatives that align with our commitment to building belonging and empowering our community to seek care. We are shifting our focus towards forging new community partnerships that extend the reach of our mission.
One of these partnerships is with the Hamilton branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association as Barb mentioned above. Twice a week, a nurse and a peer support worker spend the day at 541 providing mental health support and medical care to community members who need it. This is helping us to deepen relationships with our guests while also supporting our staff when guests are present with needs that fall outside of our scope.
We are also excited to be expanding our youth programming this year. Youth programs have become an integral part of 541, leading to confidence building, skills training, and leadership development for children and youth in our neighbourhood. This summer, we will be re-launching our Teen Leadership Camp, which gives teens in our neighbourhood the opportunity to learn job skills while completing community service hours.
Celebrate local art by supporting local artists who display their art at 541 Eatery throughout the year. Buy a piece and portion goes towards 541! Above is a piece by artist Gordon Leverton.
Our amazing staff and volunteers have been hard at work creating a welcoming and safe space for our community. Would you like to volunteer? Learn how to get involved below.
How Can You Support 541?
Compass Point has been such an incredible supporter of 541, and we are hopeful that your continued support in the coming years will play a pivotal role as we emerge from the challenges of the last few years.
Whether through financial contributions, volunteering, or prayer, I want to invite you to collaborate with us in cultivating a supportive ecosystem for all our community programs to thrive. Together, we are learning how to love our neighbours, not just by providing a meal, but by saving a spot at the table for anyone and everyone.
Pray for Justin as he leads the staff team and as he continues to meet with community partners to build on those relationships.
Pray for the staff team of which several are new to 541 but are excited to be there and be part of the 541 story.
Pray for the 541 Board as we will be having some new members join us over the coming months.
Pray for the community that they will feel well loved through the ways that we can serve them.
541 has a wonderful team of dedicated volunteers who participate in everything from customer service to dishwashing to food prep!
Help someone pay for their meal by buying buttons! Keeping our button jar full means that we can feed the folks who most need good meals.
Come by and try out the amazing menu! There are seasonal options, yummy breakfasts, baked goods and Detour Coffee (which you can purchase)
Learn More About 541 Eatery and Exchange
541 is a café rooted in the belief that everyone deserves access to good food. We create opportunities for people to help others pay for their meals by “buying buttons”. Each button is worth $1, and anyone can use up to 5 buttons a day to buy whatever they would like from our menu.
We believe there is dignity in choice, that warm hospitality reminds us of our value, and that a diverse community can be built by sharing a table. We use our space and proceeds from food sales to host free community groups and youth programming.
OPEN TUESDAY TO SATURDAY | 8 AM – 2 PM
541 Barton St E, Hamilton ON