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\"What we do is kind of breaking down the barrier and the perception of what homelessness is, because you see people walk into Second Shot and interacting in a way that you don't really see elsewhere,\" founder Julius Ibrahim told \"Good Morning America.\"

Ibrahim opened Second Shot in May 2016 in Bethnal Green after dropping out of college and crowdfunding the business online.

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A post shared by Second Shot Coffee (@secondshotcoffee) on Sep 8, 2019 at 11:42pm PDT

Customers can choose to \"pay it forward\" by donating money in the store or online, which then would pay for a coffee or a meal for someone on the street.

Ibrahim estimates that patrons have gifted around 20,000 \"pay it forwards\" to the homeless community.

He believes the shop's success has to do with the generosity of the community and the quality of his product. He opened a second location in Marylebone, London, this past summer.

\"PHOTO:
Lesley Hauler/ABC News
PHOTO: Second Shot serves up high quality coffee with a side of compassion.
>

\"When I first opened,\" Ibrahim added, \"I wanted to make sure we weren't just a typical 'charity coffee shop.' It's really important that it's not just about the social impact but that the customer is also getting some of the best coffee in Europe.\"

Second Shot partners with local charities to recruit people who have been affected by homelessness and to help them transition into long-term employment.

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A post shared by Second Shot Coffee (@secondshotcoffee) on Apr 1, 2019 at 1:15am PDT

\"You don't know if the person serving you is someone who has been working in specialty coffee for years or somebody who is just starting their journey again,\" Ibrahim said.

\"It's just making people realize that we're all just one paycheck away from being on the streets,\" added Ecevit Tahsin, who's struggled with homelessness and said he wished a place like Second Shot was around to help him when he was at his lowest.

\"I was in a situation where I was living on the streets. I was also on substance misuse -- I've done a lot of things,\" Tahsin told \"GMA.\"

\"PHOTO:
Lesley Hauler/ABC
PHOTO: In an Oct. 16, 2019 interview with ABC News in London, Ecevit Tahsin said that he knows firsthand what it's like to live on the streets but has found stability as a Second Shot employee for the past three years.
>

He found stability with Second Shot as an assistant barista and has been working with Ibrahim for the past 3 1/2 years. Now he's eager to help \"pay it forward\" to others.

\"I see people every day that know that I have been homeless, know that I have suffered what I've suffered, and know that I'm on the other side of the grass and that I'm trying to pull people with me,\" Tahsin said. \"And what better way to do it than in this coffee shop showing people love?\"

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