Over ten million views
Between all social & news outlets
Over $360,000 raised
to keep Portled fed
Over 12,000 people
Donated to the SNAP Breakfast
It all started with a simple instagram post.
In October of 2025, the U.S. federal government shutdown stretched into its 31st day, which over 42 million Americans were facing the loss of their SNAP benefits on November 1st.
For many families in Portland, that wasn't a political headline; it was the question of whether there would be food on the table in the morning.
So on October 26, 2025, we posted something simple on social media: "IIf you are losing your SNAP beneftis and unsure how to feed your family, then breakfast is on us. No proof needed. No questions asked.
In our wildest dreams, we couldn't have expected what happened next.
HERE'S HOW IT ALL WENT DOWN:
OCTOBER 26TH
The announcement post goes up on our social media and within hours it goes viral.
Over 16,000 likes, thousands of shares, and a comment that would define what came next: someone suggested we set up a donation link to help feed Portland.
We posted the link and went to bed. The next morning, we woke up to over $10,000 already in the fund.
OCTOBER 29TH
The game plan was to start the SNAP Breakfast on Saturday, November 1st at 9:30 a.m. Then, a child walked into the shop asking if they could get the SNAP Breakfast a couple days before it started. In that moment, everything became real for us, and we didn't wait for November 1st.
We opened it immediately, and posted the following: "No child should EVER have to ask for food,. Portland, come eat. Do not go hungry."
OCTober 30th
Donations climb past $50,000. Then $184,000. then $280,000. It just kept going.
12,000 people from across the world would come along-side this accidental movement to make sure Portland was fed.
By mid-November, we had raised $360,000.
November 5th
News stations rolled in, both local and global. Lines wrapped around our shop with both paying customers supporting our cause, and people looking for the SNAP Breakfast.
At this point, we knew that this moment had changed our small, tiny shop forever, the most beautiful way possible.
We spend the month of November in a flury of magical, crazy, and just-straight-beautiful moments of feeding people, watching people give what they had, and seeing our city come together to help the ones who hurt the most from our broken system.
And now, beacuse of your generosity, the snap breakfast is here to stay.
Our team made the decision that as long as we have funds in the SNAP Breakfast account, the free breakfast will be at Heretic. And, like always, no questions asked, no proof needed.
HERETIC COFFEE IN THE NEWS:
We also partned with local food organizations here in Portland and donated 60% of the $360k to help keep portland fed.
DONATION LIST
Equitable Giving Circle - $50,000
Feed'em Freedom - $50,000
JSIR - $25,000
Black Futures Farm - $25,000
ARIO PDX - $25,000
De Rose Community Bridge - $5,000
Future Generations - $10,000
Central City Concern - $6,675
The Pongo Fund - $10,000
Nan's Taqueria - $10,000