Cat
“That is a big life change, when you switch that mindset: You’re not working for fame and money and wealth, for your own good, or for pleasing someone else’s pride—but you work hard to serve others.”
A former tech entrepreneur, Cat began working for nonprofits about 10 years ago. Today she helps her partner, Michael, run Retreat Bakery Bar in Fort Collins. They donate their surplus to the Loveland Community Kitchen, where she serves as executive director and spends most of her time.
“A lot of people think, ‘Oh, people are hungry? They must be homeless,’” she explains. “It’s not true. There’s a lot of people living in food insecurity. They have a job to try to make ends meet, but there’s a lot of expenses.”
Cat grew up Catholic in Hong Kong. As a kid, she spent six years in a convent, but when her family moved to San Francisco, she immersed herself in “regular teenage life.” She stopped exploring her faith when she left for college.
Years later, she was running her own business. It was thriving, but she wasn’t.
“I had some struggle with relationships and all that, and was just looking for guidance. I didn’t know where to go—so I start going back to my roots. I found a Catholic church in Huntington Beach, and every morning before I go to work, I try to find strength; I go into the sanctuary . . . and sit for an hour before I go to work. I think it was only a few blocks from my office. . . . I remember going there, almost for years, religiously—no pun intended—daily, just to kind of find that peace and pray.”
Soon, she found a church community. She read the Bible more. At the same time her spiritual journey took flight, she transitioned out of business and into volunteering.
“I love food. I think my Asian background, my culture, allowed me to really flourish—every social gathering is a food-related thing, right? So I learned of this small nonprofit. At the time, they were feeding out of a food truck, and they needed some volunteer cooks. And I’m like, ‘I can cook pretty well. I really love cooking. I can help.’”
She eventually became the organization’s chief operating officer, and when she left after six years, they were feeding more than 2 million people a year.
After her dad passed in September 2024, Cat moved to be with Michael in Colorado. She sees this place as her present and future. She enjoys its magnificent landscapes, quietness, and pace. Even in the bakery, she notes how different life is here compared to her old home.
“In California, people are so busy to try the next restaurant or try to take Instagram photos. . . . Here, people are like, ‘No, I’m enjoying, I’m savoring. I’m savoring your food. I’m savoring this atmosphere.’”
To anyone considering a leap in location or career, Cat says: “Take the risk” and “Have faith that you’re in a place for a reason, whatever your faith might be.”
