INDIANAPOLIS A popular Indianapolis coffee shop known for serving more than just espresso is preparing to close its doors and the ripple effects will be felt far beyond the caf counter.Neidhammer Coffee Co. announced it will s hut down its East Washington Street location on Dec. 31, citing the end of government funding as the cause of the closure.For years, the east side coffee shop has hired and trained local youth, using employment as a pathway to stability, confidence, and long-term opportunity. For the last couple of years, Neidhammer has partnered with 91 Place to expand that mission, offering not just jobs, but access to transitional housing, mental health resources, and wraparound support services.WATCH FULL STORY BELOW Neidhammer Coffee Co. to close East Washington location by year's endThe organization's CEO, Ali Cross, said they are losing nearly $1 million in government funding."Due to the loss of federal and state funding, we've just had to make a really tough decision on if we are going to be able to continue our workforce development program or keep our doors in our houses open," Cross said.For employees like Trace Ferrell, the coffee shop's general manager, Neidhammer represents more than just a workplace it's been a transformative experience."I faced a lot of hardships in my young adulthood," Ferrell said. "When I first started here, I was just working as a barista. I didn't have a vehicle. I was in kind of a complicated living situation, but being here, I found a group of people who really are like a true support system."Ferrell started as a barista and worked up to general manager, embodying the kind of career progression the program aims to foster.Cross emphasized the real-world impact of the program on participants' lives."This is their livelihood, and we are doing things where we can actually see sustainable change," Cross said. For now, people like Ferrell will continue to serve the community, knowing how much the community has served them, until the doors close at the end of the month.Neidhammer says it's hoping to get funding to be able to reopen at a different location in the spring. For more information, click here.Adam Schumes is the In Your Community reporter for East Side Indy. He joined WRTV in December of 2021. Adam has a passion for telling stories and giving people a voice they might not have had before. Share your story ideas and important issues with Adam by emailing him at [email protected]. ...read more read less