Instawork and Change Please Coffee partner to combat homelessness

Today we announced a groundbreaking partnership between Instawork, the leading flexible staffing platform, and Change Please Coffee, an award-winning social enterprise dedicated to ending homelessness with profits from exceptional coffee. This collaboration is more than just a partnership; it is a commitment to empowering individuals, transforming communities, and breaking the cycle of homelessness.

Instawork is renowned for connecting businesses with skilled hourly workers, providing flexible work opportunities that cater to the needs of both businesses and hourly professionals. Our platform is designed to create economic opportunities and foster financial independence for workers across various industries.

Change Please, on the other hand, has made a significant impact by using coffee as a vehicle for change. By training individuals navigating homelessness to become skilled baristas, Change Please provides them with valuable skills and training. This training is the first step towards financial stability and independence. Change Please uses 100% of profits from their coffee sales to power barista training and hospitality focused career development. Businesses, like Instawork, buy wholesale and serve it in their corporate offices across the country.

Read more about the details of our partnership by visiting our website.

How the partnership works

Training and skills development: Change Please provides critical skills training to help individuals gain employment as baristas, creating a foundation for self-sufficiency.

Pathways to employment: Once trained, these individuals use Instawork’s app to find and schedule jobs that fit their availability, helping them secure income while rebuilding their lives. The Instawork platform significantly increases their access to a variety of work opportunities, not only in the coffee industry but across various sectors. By connecting them with businesses in need of skilled labor, we are opening doors to new possibilities and helping them achieve financial stability.

Holistic support: Together, Change Please and Instawork offer an innovative approach to breaking the cycle of homelessness by combining job training with flexible work options that fit each individual’s unique situation.

This partnership embodies a shared commitment to making an impact, empowering people to move beyond homelessness and build stable, fulfilling lives. It’s a powerful model to break the sigma of homelessness that supports financial and social reintegration—one shift at a time.
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A shared commitment to community empowerment

"Instawork is committed to giving back to the communities we serve," said Kira Caban, Head of Strategic Communications at Instawork. "Our partnership with Change Please is a testament to that commitment. By leveraging our platform to connect trained individuals with flexible work opportunities, we are helping to create a sustainable pathway toward financial stability and out of homelessness."

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Cemal Ezel, Co-founder and CEO of Change Please, echoed this sentiment: "Partnering with Instawork allows us to extend our impact and provide even greater opportunities for those we support. By helping individuals create profiles on the Instawork app, we are opening doors to a wider array of job opportunities, empowering them to achieve the financial stability they need."

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This partnership will initially focus on key markets in the United States, including New York City, Denver, Charlotte, Dallas, and Los Angeles, with plans to quickly expand to additional regions.

Change Please Certification

At Instawork, we believe in the power of work to create meaningful change. That’s why we’re proud to support the Change Please Certification, a program that helps individuals gain the skills, experience, and confidence needed to build a stable future—all while connecting businesses with reliable, trained professionals.

This certification is available to Pros who join Instawork through Change Please and successfully complete a structured training program, which includes:

✅ Week 1: Barista skills training – An intensive, hands-on training program where participants learn the essentials of crafting high-quality coffee, customer service, and workplace professionalism.

✅ Week 2: Workplace immersion – Participants gain real-world experience through shadow shifts and internships, ensuring they’re prepared to thrive in a fast-paced work environment.

✅ Weeks 3-4: Job search & placement – With Instawork’s platform and Change Please’s support, graduates begin picking up shifts, gaining paid experience, and securing long-term work opportunities.

By the end of this journey, Change Please Certified Pros are equipped with in-demand skills and ready to work. Businesses that post shifts on Instawork can directly support this mission by hiring these trained professionals—helping individuals build stable careers while meeting their staffing needs.

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Join us in making a difference

By working together, we can break the stigma around homelessness, provide meaningful opportunities, and empower individuals to achieve financial security and stability.

Join us in making a difference. It can be as simple as purchasing coffee to serve in your office or if you’re a business looking for skilled workers, your involvement can help transform lives and strengthen communities.

Learn more.