From Coffee to Community: Local Effort Supports Children Impacted by Incarceration

Moscow Mills, Mo — What started as a personal experience is now becoming a way to support children across the region facing similar challenges.

Ashley, founder of Golden Roads, knows firsthand what it’s like to grow up with a parent in and out of incarceration — and the moments that come with it.

As a child, she and her sister were removed from their mother’s custody and raised by their grandmother, while their father spent time in jail and prison. She remembers how holidays and school events often looked different.

“I remember making things at school for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, knowing I might not get to give them in person,” she said.

It’s those moments that stayed with her — and ultimately led to the creation of Golden Roads.

The nonprofit is focused on supporting children impacted by incarceration by helping maintain connection with their parent through letters, gifts, and structured opportunities for interaction.

“A child shouldn’t have to serve their parent’s sentence,” Ashley said. “But emotionally, they do.”

Golden Roads is now working to bring that support closer to home.

In 2026, the organization plans to partner with the Northeast Correctional Center to host events during holidays such as Father’s Day and Christmas. The facility, located just outside Lincoln County, houses inmates from across the state.

These events are designed to give eligible families the opportunity for supervised, family-focused time together — something many children in these situations rarely experience.

Additional efforts include programs that allow children to receive letters and gifts directly from their parent, helping create moments of connection that can otherwise be difficult to maintain.

That mission is now being supported locally in a simple way.

Golden Brew Coffee, based in Moscow Mills, recently launched its May menu, which includes a specialty drink tied directly to the nonprofit’s efforts. For the month of May, $1 from every iced “Golden Roads Latte” sold will go toward supporting the organization and its upcoming programs.

In addition, community members and local businesses still have opportunities to support Golden Roads through the upcoming Golden Brew Classic golf tournament. Several sponsorship levels remain available, including hole and event sponsorships. Organizers say sponsorships secured prior to Monday, May 4 will be guaranteed on-site signage during the event.

The partnership reflects a broader effort across the community to support initiatives that directly impact local families, even when those challenges extend beyond county lines.

For those involved, it’s about more than just raising funds — it’s about creating opportunities for children to feel connection, support, and a sense of normalcy.

For many, it’s just a drink.For others, it’s a chance to give a child something they may have never had.

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To stay updated on Golden Roads and upcoming events, follow them on Facebook.

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Story by John Eads

Sources: Golden Roads, Golden Brew Coffee