Our View: A Special Cafe

For young adults with disabilities who age out of public school programs at age 22, the prospect of navigating the real world can be daunting, to say the least. Cape Abilities does an amazing job of creating an inclusive environment for “people of all abilities,” with transition programs and employment services with local businesses and its own farm, market and thrift store. But more programs are clearly needed.

Shana Grogan, a special education teacher who runs the SHORE program at Monomoy Regional High School, has come up with a concept designed to help residents with disabilities integrate into the community in a productive and meaningful way. Her proposal, a cafe staffed by young adults with disabilities ranging from autism to Down syndrome and cerebral palsy, would serve as a hub for integrating them into the wider community and promoting understanding and acceptance of folks with different abilities.

While the Special Friends Cafe would provide work experience and help build confidence among its staff, it isn’t just about providing jobs, Grogan said in a presentation to the Harwich Select Board last week. “It’s about creating a space where everyone is valued for their unique contributions,” she said. “I believe this initiative will not only enrich the lives of our employees but also foster a more inclusive and understanding community.”

She added, “The plan is to educate the public one cup of coffee at a time.”

Local towns should join with Harwich in supporting this project by providing seed funding and helping to find a central, welcoming location for the cafe. The 204 Sisson cultural center in Harwich seems a likely spot, since it already has a commercial kitchen, but it’s a bit out of the way. It might make sense to work with local chambers of commerce to identify a more visible space that won’t have a big impact on existing businesses; the chambers could also help negotiate a lease. This is the sort of innovative public-private economic development initiative that benefits everyone.

As Harwich Select Board member Jeff Handler pointed out, this may not be something the board or town would usually be involved in. But it harkens back to the days when towns “took care of their own,” and is something we enthusiastically support.