New Modesto Cafe Employs And Empowers People With Disabilities
MODESTO (CBS13) — A group of baristas is serving up something special in Stanislaus County, and they're pouring their hearts into every single cup.
Tucked inside Modesto's Valley Mountain Regional Center (VMRC) on Blue Gum Avenue is a hidden little gem. Located across the street from Modesto Junior College West Campus, Whole Latte Café is brewing up new business.
"It is very exciting. We like our coffee," said service coordinator Sophia Rickey. "We did have our Starbucks runs and stuff like that, but it's totally different when you have people here."
The café is a project of Cole Vocational Services (CVS).
"This has been in the works for about a year and a half," said Café Supervisor Kelly Relos. "When they originally told me about it, I thought it was going to be a coffee cart and we'd sell coffee from there, but no, we have our own machines and our bean grinder and everything, the register, flavored syrup. It's awesome."
CVS provides day programs and employment assistance to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
"It's very rewarding, and I feel very proud because they've put a lot of dedication into it and are very committed and willing to learn," said Relos.
It's open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and offers an extensive list of hot and iced drinks, frappes, pastries, and even oatmeal.
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"Actually when we were writing it out we were in awe ourselves. We were like, 'I can't believe we have this much stuff on our menu,'" and Relos.
Ten CVS clients run the café under the supervision of CVS staff, who will teach them a variety of new skills.
"Money management is definitely one of them, communication skills, they're doing job coaching so they do have someone shadowing them while they're serving coffee," added Rickey.
Employees learn to make drinks, run the register, and provide customer service.
When asked what her favorite drink to make is, Barista Susy York said, "Mudslide" because it contains chocolate syrup.
Employee Rose Cohron said her favorite is the "Frappe It Up Twix."
Among Wednesday morning's visitors, Juvenile Superior Court Judge Ruben Villalobos stopped by.
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"My Mom worked for VRMC when I was a kid, so I grew up coming here and I read yesterday this coffee shop opened and so I wanted to come and try it out," he said.
He said he was impressed with the organization's efforts to employ people with disabilities, especially since labor statistics indicate the unemployment rate for disabled adults is more than double what it is for people without disabilities.
"I just think its wonderful more people have an opportunity to try new things and gain employment," he added.
VRMC Executive Director Tony Anderson said the café has an unusual business model. Once ready, he said, the goal is to get employees to leave.
"It is an unusual goal for a business to encourage workers to move on, but what want to help them get the skills to work independently," he said.
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Managers think of it as training to employ and empower people with "different abilities."
"A few of our employees were so shy and so anxious and this helped them come out, bring their personalities out… so I feel like that's the best part," said Rickey.
Cohron said she was previously employed at the now-closed Hometown Buffet and the café is helping her refresh her skills.
"I actually want to work in the food business," she said. "This is teaching me how to work with money, and how to work with the different types of machines and how to make the cold and hot drinks differently."
The program in Modesto is modeled after another in Stockton. Anderson said Mo's Coffee opened its doors on North Aurora Street about three years ago. Like that location, he said, plans are in the works for employees to eventually serve lunch at Whole Latte Café.
