A Coffee Connection: Radio show host Garrison Keillor to perform in support of Rochester shop
In a world about making connections, one Rochester woman uses coffee as a lifeline for addicted, abused, or formerly incarcerated women seeking recovery, support, and a job.
'We don't call our women clients; they are our employees and friends, and we are friends. We work very hard at coming alongside people,' said Joy Bergfalk of Coffee Connection.
For the past 13 years, Bergfalk has served as the executive director of the Coffee Connection.
'We want to return people to full living,' she said. 'So, we offer that sober support, and we connect them with other resources if we cannot offer them ourselves.'
Whether she's greeting customers or roasting organically grown beans for retail or wholesale, every woman here has her own struggles, a journey that's been touched by Joy.
'She's rescued me several times,' said Amanda with Coffee Connection. 'I know I can call her and I can talk to her about anything. I know that there's not going to be judgment.'
Like hundreds before her, Amanda walked into the coffee shop in 2018 seeking help with her recovery.
'I really didn't have any expectations, I was just trying to do the right thing,' Amanda said.
Today, she's the head roaster assisting other women.
'We have such deep bonds that we have built,' Amanda said. 'Through this process, I have sponsored women and helped them along their journey in recovery, as well as them helping me along my journey.'
They've all been impacted in some way by addiction.
Tamara's daughter died from a fentanyl overdose in 2018. She said working at Coffee Connection is healing.
Alyssa Eisele started out as a volunteer when she moved to Rochester last summer. Now, this banker-turned-not-for-profit director will be taking over the coffee connection when Joy retires in April.
'Seems to be – the connections are what make this place go round, and it's not just who you know as much as – how you can help,' Alyssa said.
Before leaving, Joy is leaning on one more connection to help raise funds to support their mission: American author and radio personality Garrison Keillor.
'I'm coming there because I've been drinking coffee from Coffee Connection. I didn't know where it came from, I didn't know the story behind it, I just like the coffee a lot,' Garrison said.
Joy and Garrison both grew up in Minnesota. Joy said she listened to the Prairie Home Companion creator as a teenager. Although he's been out of the radio business for nearly a decade now, he's still writing and performing. He said he's looking forward to traveling from his home in New York City to meet the women behind Coffee Connection during a benefit show this Sunday.
'I'm going to stand out on stage and I'm going to talk about the beauty of being 82,' he said.
'Anything Goes' featuring Nickelodeon star in Brighton
Garrison, Joy, and the Coffee Connection women together for one night, on a journey filled with ups and downs, transformations, and disappointments.
You can learn more about the event, which will be held at The Hochstein School, by clicking here.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Scientists Say These Are the Worst Ultra-Processed Foods You Can Eat
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." The American Heart Association just released a big report on ultra-processed foods. Some ultra-processed foods are healthier than others, according to the organization. Experts say it's still important to limit how much ultra-processed foods you eat. Ultra-processed foods have been a hot topic in nutrition, with a government report released in May linking this food category to a range of chronic diseases. Now, the American Heart Association (AHA) has released a new scientific advisory statement, breaking down the best and worst ultra-processed foods you can eat, and their impact on health. This echoes a growing argument in the nutrition and health community, especially given that up to 70% of our food supply is made up of ultra-processed foods. 'Ultra-processed foods are such a large part of the American diet, and whatever we can do to steer our diet toward healthier options would be beneficial to our cardiovascular health,' says Cheng-Han Chen, M.D., interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, CA. Meet the experts: Danbee Kim, M.D.,, nutrition expert, weight loss surgeon, and assistant professor at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School; Cheng-Han Chen, M.D., interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, CA; Keri Gans, R.D., author of The Small Change Diet; Kathleen Moore, R.D.N., a registered dietitian nutritionist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center So, which ultra-processed foods are considered 'healthier' and what does this mean for your diet going forward? Doctors and a dietitian explain. What are ultra-processed foods? The levels of food processing are classified under something called the NOVA scale. This scale lumps foods into these four main categories: Unprocessed and minimally processed foods: This includes foods that are in their natural state or barely altered, like strawberries, carrots, and milk. Processed culinary ingredients: These ingredients are created through minimal processing, like pressing, refining, grinding, or milling. The category includes things like olive oil and almond flour. Processed foods: Foods in this category are changed from their natural state. They usually have sugar, oil, salt, or other substances added. Canned tuna and some cheese fall under this umbrella. Ultra-processed foods: Ultra-processed foods contain ingredients like artificial colors and flavors, preservatives for shelf stability, and other ingredients to preserve texture. Many packaged foods are considered ultra-processed. What did the report say? The report doesn't have great things to say about ultra-processed foods, calling them a 'growing public health challenge.' Even more, 'most ultra-processed foods overlap with foods high in saturated fat, added sugars, and sodium, which are already targets for cardiometabolic risk reduction,' the report states. The report lists a link between ultra-processed foods and a range of serious health complications, including heart attacks, stroke, sleep disorders, depression, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. But the report also stresses the importance of identifying 'high-risk' ultra-processed foods subgroups to break down healthier options within this category. By encouraging people to have less of the most harmful ultra-processed foods and steering them more towards 'a small number of select, affordable ultra-processed foods of better diet quality,' people may improve their health risks, the review says. The best ultra-processed foods The AHA stops short of saying that certain ultra-processed foods are actually healthy. But the organization flags some options as being better for you than others. Those include: Low-sodium whole-grain breads and crackers Low-sugar yogurts Tomato sauces Nut- or bean-based spreads Flavored dry-roasted chickpeas Unsweetened, dried fruit-based snacks Unsweetened high-fiber cereal Plant-based meat and dairy alternatives that are low in sodium, added sugars, and saturated fat, like soy milk and tofu 'Some ultra-processed foods can provide essential nutrients,' says Keri Gans, R.D., author of The Small Change Diet. 'In contrast, others are loaded with added sugar, sodium, and unhealthy fats. Knowing the difference helps you choose options that work best for your health and your lifestyle.' These foods 'can actually provide useful nutrients and help people get affordable, convenient foods—especially when fresh options are harder to find,' says Danbee Kim, M.D., nutrition expert, weight loss surgeon, and assistant professor at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. Labeling some ultra-processed foods as better than others may also help people make more informed choices, says Kathleen Moore, R.D.N., a registered dietitian nutritionist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. 'Labeling all ultra-processed foods as 'bad' may discourage the consumption of some nutrient-rich convenient options, like whole grain breads, cereals and cereal bars, yogurt, and grab-and-go meals,' she says. 'Sometimes it is useful to use some ultra-processed foods to save time or to incorporate balanced meal options when fresh foods are limited. Knowing which ultra-processed foods are more healthy will help consumers make better choices.' The worst ultra-processed foods The AHA also broke down the least healthy ultra-processed foods. Those include: Chicken nuggets Sausage Hot dogs Sugar-sweetened beverages Liquid cheese products Cookies Candies Gummy fruit snacks Refined grain breads Tortillas Dairy-based desserts like ice cream Ready-to-heat meals made with refined grains, high fats, or processed meats like boxed macaroni and cheese or pizza Tortilla- and potato-based chips Is it OK to eat a lot of 'healthy' ultra-processed foods? While the AHA report called out healthier versions of ultra-processed foods, experts say that still doesn't mean you should load up. 'These can provide beneficial nutrients and fit into a balanced diet,' Gans says. 'However, still pair them with plenty of whole and minimally processed foods for optimal health.' Dr. Chen agrees. 'As much as possible, we should aim to eat whole foods rather than processed foods,' he says. But these foods have an important role for some people, as Moore points out. 'I work with many clients who incorporate ultra-processed foods into their weekly schedules for a variety of reasons,' she says. 'Some cannot seem to find time for breakfast, or have a work schedule that makes sitting down for lunch difficult. I have clients who are busy parents and benefit from a frozen family meal or 'grab and go' meal when sports events make it difficult to eat a home-cooked meal. Overall, I encourage my patients to limit ultra-processed foods to less than half of their overall consumption.' Dr. Kim suggests trying to have these foods in moderation. 'Think of 'healthier' ultra-processed foods as a tool—something you can lean on when they help make your diet more balanced or easier to stick to, but not something to make the star of your plate at every meal,' she says. How to reduce ultra-processed foods in your diet The best way to reduce ultra-processed foods in your diet is to focus on whole foods first, according to Gans. 'Be prepared. Stock your pantry with nutrient-rich staples like canned tomatoes, beans, and oatmeal,' she says. 'Include more fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains, and make small swaps, like 100% whole-grain bread for white.' In a perfect scenario, Gans says that the first ingredient in the things you eat should be a whole food. While you're at it, Dr. Kim suggests cutting back on the 'worst offenders,' especially sugary drinks, processed meats, packaged sweets, and salty snacks. 'The fewer ultra-processed foods you eat, the better—but it's about progress, not perfection,' Dr. Kim says. 'Swap out the unhealthy ones first, make room for healthier stand-ins when needed, and keep working toward a diet built mostly from whole, real foods.' You Might Also Like Can Apple Cider Vinegar Lead to Weight Loss? 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New York Post
5 hours ago
- New York Post
The ‘Nordic diet' can help you lose weight and prevent heart attacks — stock up on these foods
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'Their diet focused on clean, sustainable foods, which is why we are discussing its health benefits today.' Like the Mediterranean diet — long hailed for its heart-healthy power — the Nordic style is plant-forward, high in fiber and packed with seafood. 4 Fatty fish are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which are linked to reduced risk of heart disease. artemidovna – But while the Greeks rely on olive oil, the northern approach leans on rapeseed (or canola) oil, another heart-friendly monounsaturated fat, according to Harvard Health. Rapeseed oil is also a source of alpha-linolenic acid, a plant-based omega-3 fatty acid similar to the kind found in fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines and herring — all staples of the Nordic kitchen. Followers typically eat two to three servings of these fish each week. The omega-3s delivered by both the oil and fish have been shown to reduce the risk of heart rhythm issues, slow plaque buildup in arteries and lower fat levels in the blood, key factors in protecting cardiovascular health. The Nordic diet also emphasizes low-fat dairy, such as yogurt, and incorporates eggs and poultry in moderation. Red and processed meats, on the other hand, rarely make it onto the plate. 4 Root vegetables are loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. Viktor Iden – Whole grains such as oats, barley and rye are another cornerstone in this eating pattern. These fiber-rich 'complex' carbs digest slowly, helping to curb cravings and keep blood sugar steady — unlike refined grains in processed staples like white bread. Cold-weather veggies like turnips, carrots, parsnips, cabbage and cauliflower are also featured prominently. They're packed with fiber and nutrients that have been shown to help lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Berries like blueberries, strawberries, cranberries and lingonberries play a starring role, too. Rich in antioxidants called anthocyanins, these fruits help keep arteries flexible and may also lower blood pressure. Unlike many American eating habits, the Nordic diet also goes easy on alcohol and avoids foods high in added sugar and sodium. By avoiding processed junk, saturated fats and high-cholesterol meats while loading up on fiber-rich whole foods, studies suggest the Nordic diet can lead to significant weight loss — a major win for heart health. 4 Every year, about 805,000 people in the US have a heart attack. Pixel-Shot – In one study, people who followed the Nordic diet for just six weeks lost 4% of their body weight — significantly more than those eating a standard western diet. In another trial, people with obesity who stuck to it for six months dropped about 10 pounds — roughly triple the weight loss seen in a typical diet group. And it's not just about the scale. 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Still, experts say Americans could learn a thing or two from their northern neighbors — especially when it comes to cutting processed meats and sugar-laden snacks. 'People who really like berries, rye bread, and canola oil should go ahead and enjoy a Nordic-style diet rather than waiting 10 years to get more evidence,' advised Dr. Frank Hu, professor of nutrition at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health.
New York Post
8 hours ago
- New York Post
Rehab can keep you out of jail — but become a prison itself
Chris Koon didn't read the fine print. Sitting in the Cenikor Baton Rouge rehab center's intake office in 2015, flanked by his mom and grandmother, he signed where told. 'A lot of it read like legalese,' writes Shoshana Walter in 'Rehab: An American Scandal' (Simon & Schuster, Aug. 12). 'Incomprehensible but also innocuous, like something you might see before downloading an app on your phone.' Koon felt lucky. He wasn't going to prison. Just days earlier, he'd been arrested for meth possession. The alternative to five years in state prison? A brutal two-year Cenikor inpatient program. Koon took the deal. In signing the intake documents, he agreed to 'receive no monetary compensation' for work he did, with wages going 'directly back to the Foundation.' He signed away his right to workers' compensation if injured. He forfeited his food stamps, disability payments and any other government assistance. And he agreed to 'adopt appropriate morals and values as promoted by the program.' Koon's story isn't an outlier — it's a glimpse into what Walter calls 'America's other drug crisis.' While overdoses and opioid deaths dominate headlines, far less attention goes to the 'profit-hungry, under-regulated, and all too often deadly rehab industry,' writes Walter. Across the country, thousands of treatment programs are propped up by federal policies and rooted in a distinctly American blend of punishment and personal responsibility. People were 'lured to rehab with the promise of a cure for what ailed them,' Walter writes, 'only to repeatedly falter and fail inside a system that treated them like dollar signs.' The idea hard labor can cure someone isn't new. After the Civil War, US slavery was abolished except as punishment for a crime. That loophole became the foundation for a forced-labor system that conveyed newly freed black people into prisons and chain gangs. Over time, prison officials began marketing this arrangement as 'rehabilitation.' As Walter writes, this legacy has been repackaged for the modern drug crisis. The Affordable Care Act promised expanded treatment access through Medicaid. But the rehab industry that exploded in response was lightly regulated, profit-driven and increasingly dangerous. The result: thousands of people like Chris Koon, lured into treatment by courts, cops or family members, only to find themselves stuck in a system that looked less like therapy and more like punishment. They include women like April Lee, a black woman from Philadelphia. Despite growing up in addiction's long shadow — her mother died from AIDS when Lee was just a teenager, after years of selling sex to support a crack habit — Lee didn't start using drugs herself until after having her second child, when a doctor prescribed her Percocet for back pain. That opened the door to addiction. Child-welfare authorities eventually took her kids. Fellow users nicknamed her 'Mom' and 'Doc' for her uncanny ability to find usable veins, no matter how damaged. April Lee returned to her recovery house — as an unpaid house monitor. April Lee / ACLU She entered recovery in 2016. Every morning at 6, 18 women gathered in the dining room of one of two overcrowded houses to read from the Bible. Lee stayed 10 months. With nowhere else to go, she returned — this time as a house monitor, working without pay in exchange for a bed. 'She was still early into recovery, and she felt stressed by the intensity of the job,' Walter writes. 'On top of that, she wasn't getting a paycheck, so she couldn't save up money to leave.' 'Don't really know how to feel right now,' Lee wrote in her journal. 'The lady I work for — for free, mind you — wont me to watch over women witch mean I have to stay in every night.' She felt physically and emotionally trapped. 'I wanted to snap this morning. Miss my children so much.' Like so many others, Lee found herself stuck in the recovery-house loop — forced to work, unable to leave and earning nothing. She helped with chores, mainly cooking and cleaning. Residents' food stamps stocked the kitchen. Lee loved to cook, and she made comfort food for the house: mac and cheese, fried chicken, beef stew. But all the warmth she gave others couldn't buy her a way out. For others, like Koon, it was about more than just forced labor. During his first 30 days at Cenikor, the other patients policed each other. If one person broke a rule, the entire group might be punished with a 'fire drill' in the middle of the night. 'If anyone stepped out of line or did something wrong during the drill, they'd have to stay awake even longer,' Walter writes. Discipline was obsessive. In his first month, Koon sat in a classroom with about 30 other residents, most sent by courts like he was, reciting rules out loud, line by line. There were more than 100. 'He could get in trouble for not having a pen, not wearing a belt, for an untied shoelace, for leaving a book on the table, for his shirt coming untucked,' Walter details. Koon learned the punishment system fast. A common one was 'the verbal chair,' in which any participant could order him to sit, arms locked and knees at a 90-degree angle, and stare silently at the wall while others screamed at him. 'Go have a seat in the verbal chair. Think about having your shirt untucked,' they'd say. And Koon, like everyone else, was expected to respond, 'Thank you.' There were others. 'Mirror therapy,' where he'd stand and yell his failings at himself in the mirror. 'The dishpan,' where he'd be dressed in a neon-green shirt, scrubbing floors and dishes while loudly reciting the Cenikor philosophy, 'a paragraph-long diatribe about self-change,' Walter writes. And the dreaded 'verbal haircut,' when another resident, sometimes even a staff member, would berate him as part of his treatment. Dressed up as a therapeutic community, Koon thought instead, 'This is like a cult.' Walter believes he wasn't far off. Everyone was required to tattle. Koon had to turn in weekly at least 10 'pull-ups' — written reports detailing rule infractions committed by fellow residents. If he didn't, he could lose points and with them privileges like phone calls, family visits or permission to grow a mustache. Confrontations were public and ritualized: Residents would sit in a circle around one or two people forced to listen as everyone else denounced them. 'They took turns confronting that person, professing their faults and errors, while the person was permitted only to say 'thank you,'' Walter writes. Staff called it 'The Game.' He saw grown men cry. He heard women called bitches and sluts. He realized many employees were former participants enforcing the system that once broke them. Not everyone saw a problem. Many in the legal system embraced tough-love rehab programs, especially judges looking for alternatives to jail. One of Cenikor's biggest champions was Judge Larry Gist, who ran one of the first drug courts, in Jefferson County, Texas, in the 1990s. 'The vast majority of folks that I deal with are basically bottom-feeders,' Gist told the author. 'They've been losers since the day they were born.' Cenikor's extreme model was ideal for 'the right people,' he believed. Cenikor rewarded such loyalty, giving judges and lawmakers steak dinners served by participants and annual awards banquets, complete with gleaming, diamond-shaped trophies. Gist 'proudly displayed his' in 'his chambers, where he liked to host his happy hours with prosecutors and defense attorneys.' Koon was booted out of Cenikor after just two years, for faking a urine sample and contracting a contagious staph infection, but managed to stay sober on his own. He proposed to his childhood sweetheart, Paige, moving in with her two daughters, and finding the stability he'd been chasing for years. He went back to school to learn welding, and the daily rhythms of family life kept him grounded. 'He hasn't taken a drug recreationally for eight years,' Walter writes. Lee's path out took longer, and her recovery was, as Walter writes, 'in some ways a stroke of luck.' She left the house after landing a job at a law firm that helped women reunite with their children in foster care — a world away from the nights she'd once spent tricking at the Blue Moon Hotel but one that barely covered her bills and pushed her just over the poverty line, cutting off assistance. She earned her GED, took online college courses, regained custody of her kids and bought her own home by 2021. 'And yet many days she felt she was teetering on the edge, one crisis or unpaid bill away from making a terrible mistake,' Walter writes. That year, she returned to Kensington, where her addiction had once thrived, bringing fresh food and water to people still living on the streets. As for Cenikor, its time in the shadows ended, at least temporarily. Investigators found evidence of exploitation: residents forced to work without pay, unsafe housing conditions, staff-client relationships, even overdoses inside the facilities. The state of Texas fined Cenikor more than $1.4 million in 2019, but the agency struck a settlement, and it continued to operate. Koon and Lee don't represent everyone who's experienced addiction, treatment or recovery. But they do reflect a system that often promises far more than it delivers. 'When rehab works, it can save lives,' Walter writes. 'It can mend families and be among the most redemptive narrative arcs in a person's life.' But sometimes, rehab not only fails to help people, it actively harms them, recycling them through a gauntlet of relapse, shame and risk: 'Despite the rehab industry's many claims, there is no magical cure for addiction.'
