Coffee shops are a dime a dozen and there is usually not much that sets them apart. This is not the case in Wilmington, North Carolina the home of Beau’s Coffee. This little coffee shop owes its fame to its unusual policy about hiring staff.
What sets this place apart is the owners, Amy Wright, her son Beau and daughter Bitty. Both Bitty and Beau have intellectual and developmental disabilities, and so do the more than a dozen staffers. Amy has been active advocating for people with disabilities for over a decade and so it was only a natural step to include her children. Beau’s Coffee has been open for only two weeks so far, but it has made a huge splash in the local market with hundreds of customers visiting it each day.
It is quite shocking that nearly 70% of adults living with intellectual disabilities are unemployed. Wright feels that this is an unacceptable statistic. And though it takes work and a lot of caring, these people can be productive in society. Just look at Beau’s Coffee.
Source: Themighty
