Employees at the Delaware County Courthouse have a new spot to grab their morning coffee, and for the team running the cart, it marks a powerful step toward independence and inclusion in the workplace.

Common Grounds, a coffee cart in the courthouse lobby, officially opened Wednesday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The business employs neurodiverse adults and people with disabilities, many of whom are getting their first opportunity to work in a public-facing job.

Lexi Febert, of Drexel Hill, is among the employees who work at the cart. She said finding employment hasn't always been easy.

"I'm autistic," Febert said. "I've struggled with getting jobs because of being misunderstood."

Now, she works the register, greets customers and helps serve drinks.

"My favorite part is just coming here, getting to experience new things, getting to interact with different people," Febert said. "It's actually really fun. It's actually the one job that I've stuck with the longest, and the one that I actually am excited to waking up every day, looking forward to coming."

A nonprofit called ANEWAY operates Common Grounds. The organization's founder and CEO, Aimee Rubin, also runs Game On State, an arcade that employs people with disabilities.

"They need to be in a place where businesses are focusing on what they can do, instead of what they can't do," Rubin said.

Liam MacCurtin, who works at the cart and has Down syndrome, said the job is helping him build independence.

"It's great," MacCurtin said. "It's my new job, and I get tips every time!"

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 77.3% of people with a disability were unemployed last year. ANEWAY aims to change that by offering real work experience, skills training and a sense of purpose.

The cart's placement in a government building sends a message of inclusion and shows what's possible when public spaces welcome people of all abilities.