MILFORD — Milford locals in search of coffee can also support the area’s healthcare workers, teachers and first responders.

To celebrate their fifth year owning Dolce on Walnut Street, the Tatmans are giving away free food to some of those who have worked hardest through the pandemic.

“We consider ourselves pretty humble people,” said Stephenie Tatman, who owns the store with her husband Dean. “Instead of celebrating five years… in a self-serving way, we really wanted to do it in a way that highlights the reason we’re still here.”

That reason, she said, is the support of the Milford community.

Amid the pandemic, Ms. Tatman said her customer base “had an overwhelming outpouring of support for us as a small business. But I could tell they also wanted to find ways to help the people who are suffering most through the pandemic.”

In a Facebook post on the Dolce page, she identified four “pillars of the community” to support — first responders, teachers, healthcare workers and local food banks. Customers both in the store and online have been asked to add a “caring for community” donation to their bill.

Donations from Dolce will come in the form of food, be it a tray of pastries and coffee for an elementary school break room or a full dinner spread for health care professionals.

“Food is love,” Ms. Tatman. “What better way to show someone that you’re in their corner than to give them a hot cup of coffee, a freshly made pastry or a sandwich?”

Dolce customers can give in increments of $10. Ms. Tatman said those giving can think of the $10 as equivalent to one meal. The Tatmans will also be matching a portion of every donation.

“Our hope is to keep Caring for the Community going indefinitely. The beneficiaries may change as the needs of our community change, bit we hope to maintain this platform for kindness in our community,” Ms. Tatman said.

While word about the campaign is still getting out to all of Dolce’s customers, many who came in for an afternoon cup of coffee on Tuesday supported the effort.

“It’s really good. I think it will benefit the first responders,” said Elaise Gonzaalez, who found out about the fundraising effort on Dolce’s Instagram page. “They really need the support, and we have their backs.”

She said the fundraiser is a great way for Milford to show that “even though (first responders) are in a very stressful environment, there’s a community behind them rooting them on.”

Ms. Gonzalez has been coming to Dolce since she was a high schooler, but this campaign made her want to support the business even more.

“It shows that they have a good heart,” she said of the Tatmans. “Even though they have their own things to worry about, they’re still willing to give whatever they can… They support not only themselves but also the community that supports them.”

Some of the Tatmans’ employees also like the program.

“It’s always good to give back to the community,” said Kristen Yarrington, the shop’s manager. “It makes you proud.”

Libby Dissinger, the assistant manager, agreed.

“It’s always good to give back, especially with the times we’re going through this past year,” she said. “I would say I’m more inclined to support small businesses that are giving back because we have to be able to help the small businesses.”

Ms. Yarrington pointed out that this campaign is not Dolce’s only way of supporting the community.

“If you come in in uniform, you get free drinks,” she said, gesturing to a sign that greets incoming customers. Those complimentary coffees are funded by one generous customer who keeps a running tab open for first responders.

“Over the course of the year we’ve done a few monetary donations to different organizations, too,” Ms. Yarrington added.

In reflecting on the past five years as a business owner, Ms. Tatman said she and her husband have been through a lot.

“It’s been a wild ride between having some chain competitors move not too far away to learning the ropes of your own business to navigating through a pandemic,” she said. “I think that made us more resilient and stronger in the end.”

If you can’t make it into the store, you can donate online at Dolcebakery.com.