Starting From Scratch with The Cosmos
- Marial Leisge
- Aug 4
- 3 min read
Allow me to share a story about Sofia Sinclair and a generous Ocean State Kids donation from her family restaurant, YiaYia’s Café.
written by Marial Leisge
I first met Sofia Sinclair back in high school—not because we attended the same school, but because she was dating Jimmy Sinclair, a schoolmate of mine at Portsmouth High School. My memories of Jimmy are so fond—his adrenaline-filled love for motocross and his incredibly sweet devotion to Sofia, who is now his wife and the mother to their three amazing children.
Sofia re-entered my life four years ago when my now-husband, Tim, and I started dating. Our husbands remained close friends, which naturally led to family dinners and lazy backyard hangouts at Sofia’s place. Over countless conversations and shared laughter, Sofia and I quickly discovered how much we had in common: motherhood, creativity, entrepreneurship, the constant search for deeper meaning....
...and a shared passion for providing a quality of life rooted deeply in wholehearted wellness for our children.
From day one, Sofia has been one of Ocean State Kids’ greatest cheerleaders. I genuinely laugh imagining her in a cheerleader outfit yelling "hoorah!" because she’s the most grounded, down-to-earth mama you’ll ever meet. Her quiet yet impactful support has never gone a day unnoticed.
She generously offered to set up an unforgettable yogurt buffet at our first OSK Nature Guardian meeting, introducing families to her brilliant invention—The Yogurt Tube, a stainless steel yogurt strainer. I still use mine every Sunday, always smiling at this subtle reminder of her thoughtful influence on our healthier eating habits.
One of my favorite moments was when she gifted me the children's book, “What Do You Do With An Idea?”, a gentle nod to Ocean State Kids, once just a small seed of inspiration itself.
Sofia is truly brave. Recently affected by the federal government's severance of employees, she boldly took the chance to pause, reflect, and change directions completely. Trusting her intuition and the universe, she left her position to embrace whatever came next.
She picked up a few shifts at her family's restaurant, YiaYia’s Café, likely for some extra cash to splurge on Water Journey’s retreats or organic crushed walnuts—and, knowing Sofia, probably just to give her mind a break from decision-making spirals.
Anyone who’s navigated big life transitions knows about those slow, uncomfortable feelings we all withhold from talking about openly.
On Sunday night, after spending all day unplugged, I finally checked my phone. Among the many messages waiting was one that immediately made my stomach flip: “My mother read your email and wants to make a donation from YiaYia’s Café.” Apparently, generosity runs deep in their family. A wave of speechless gratitude mixed with a twinge of guilt washed over me for responding four hours later. But ultimately, relief set in knowing their donation would foster even more growth for Ocean State Kids.
Early this morning, I gathered fresh cosmos flowers from my garden...
....a symbolically fitting choice, as I’ve come to trust deeply in the power of the universe's alignment. I drove straight to YiaYia's, hoping to catch Sofia on her lunch break. Though time was tight, we managed to swap life updates, hers notably exciting.
With just a hint of bashfulness, Sofia introduced me to her newest vision: "Sofia from Scratch." The heart of this project is all about building community around whole foods. Although she’s still refining this beautiful concept, her immediate plan includes cooking classes for kids—
...providing a delicious way for children to explore culinary skills while building deeper, meaningful connections with their peers.
I see a powerful double meaning behind the name “Sofia from Scratch.”
It beautifully symbolizes Sofia’s leap from the safety of her government job into the unknown—a fresh start from scratch. At the same time, she’s creating a culinary environment where young kids can reset their own childhood experience,
...beginning anew from scratch through nourishing food and heartfelt connection.
I'm looking forward to mirroring her support, fully anticipating our Ocean State Kids families will absolutely devour this opportunity (pun very much intended!). Please help us reciprocate Sofia and her family’s generosity by visiting YiaYia’s Café for breakfast or lunch, and don’t forget to follow Sofia’s journey on Instagram.
Let’s help her new community come deliciously to life!
ABOUT YIAYIA'S
YiaYia's Café serves breakfast and lunch every day from 8:00am to 6:00pm. The cafe is open to the public and menu items include traditional breakfast and lunch options alongside authentic Greek dishes and desserts.
147 Aquidneck Avenue
Middletown, RI 02842
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