Learn About Us

The Hearthlight began with a simple wish: to create a space for people who often feel like they don’t quite belong anywhere else. As a parent of neurodivergent children, I’ve seen the impact that thoughtful, accepting spaces can have — but I’ve also seen how rare they are. Whether it’s due to disability, anxiety, gender identity, orientation, or just feeling out of place in loud, fast-moving environments, so many people are quietly excluded from community life.

Alongside that, my experience running tabletop roleplaying games and community events taught me something powerful — that play, storytelling, and gentle connection can change lives. I watched people grow in confidence, find joy, and make meaningful friendships around shared tables and shared imagination.

The Hearthlight brings all of that together. It’s not just a café. It’s a quiet, inclusive hub designed to be welcoming, accessible, and low-pressure — where anyone can come to sit, connect, play a board game, join a drop-in, or simply exist without judgement. It's a space made with care, for people who are so often told — subtly or otherwise — that they don’t belong.