A cup of coffee with room for opportunity; Frisco coffee shop gives everyone a chance to work
Living with an intellectual disability like autism or Down syndrome can be a significant challenge for many, especially when it comes to finding a job as an adult.
But there's a chain of coffee shops trying to change that, and they just opened up their first shop in North Texas.
According to a study from the University of Massachusetts Boston and the Special Olympics, only 34% of adults with intellectual disabilities are employed.
Meet Matthew Philips. He's 23 and just started working at a coffee shop in Frisco.
"I wanted to work here so I could make more friends and greet a lot of people, because I'm a big social guy and I like to talk to a lot of people," said Philips
In a lot of ways, Philips is like most 23-year-olds. He loves sports and spends his days working. But in other ways, he's a lot different.
"I have autism and I got diagnosed when I was 9 years old, and I was non-verbal when I was younger," he said. "It was hard for me, because when I was in school, people used to make fun of me because I had a disability."
While his disability might make him different outside these doors, at Bitty and Beau's, he's just another employee.
"I make hot coffee, iced tea, lemonade water and serve customers," barista Christian Heath said.
"I've always been different. I've always known I've been different and I thought there was something wrong with me," said Kennedy Hodge, another barista.
All the employees at Bitty and Beau's have an intellectual disability, and many of them have struggled to find work until now.
"Took me a year to find my job but I feel so blessed that god found a job for me," said Hodge.
The North Carolina-based coffee shop is more than just java – it's a movement to celebrate and value diversity. The chain wants people with intellectual disabilities to know that they're not broken. Just like their hat says.
"I thought there was something wrong with me. But I know that there's no mistakes. God makes no mistakes," said Hodge.
