What stung Michael Coyne was not the $20. It was who took it.
Coyne, an autistic barista at Red White and Brew in Warwick, Rhode Island, was left “speechless” after customers and local leaders rallied around him when a day’s worth of tips was stolen from his coffee shop.
He knows most of the people who come in for coffee, so the theft felt personal. The shop is also operating at a loss while covering the costs of a recent move to a larger location, and the tip jar is his only source of free cash flow.
Michael has autism, ADHD, and bi-polar disorder. Sheila Coyne fostered him when he was 10 and later adopted him. She opened Red White and Brew with her retirement savings as a way to guarantee her son fulfilling employment.
The shop hit a major challenge in its first year, when enforced business closures during COVID-19 began, but it still became a success. It employs workers with mental disabilities and sells products made by people with mental disabilities. Over time, it also became a regular part of the Warwick community.
“He was really interested in food service, and I thought, what better way to connect him to a community than a coffee shop?” Sheila told The Washington Post. “To me, it just made sense.”
When Coyne realized the tips he had collected through the day had been taken, he was deeply upset.
The next day, Warwick’s police chief stopped by for coffee. After hearing what had happened, he brought materials for a new tip jar with a lid and told the Coynes he would investigate.
Sheila then posted a Facebook video about the theft and warned people to stay alert. The response was immediate. Commenters said they were angry that someone would steal from the shop, and Warwick Mayor Frank Picozzi was among them.
“Red White and Brew is a very special place … run by wonderful people,” Picozzi wrote in a post sharing Sheila’s video. “I’ve come to know Michael very well and believe me, it’s not the money that’s bothering him, he’s hurt.”
The day after that, people began streaming into the coffee shop and leaving money in the tip jar. One woman left $100 after telling Michael that her own son is autistic, and that he inspires her to believe her son can have a decent life as a working adult.
The same thing happened again the next day. The mayor came by, too. Before long, Michael had received $900 in tips.
For Sheila, the money mattered less than the way people showed up.
“That was the most special part,” she said. “It was truly just one person after another, leading with such kindness and grace that it renewed my love for humans and humanity.”
Michael said the response left him speechless. Red White and Brew was opened by Sheila Coyne with her retirement savings and employs workers, while also selling products made by, people with mental disabilities.
