A café that employees adults with disabilities

Hugs Cafe and Greenhouse are a non-profit located in downtown McKinney, its owner Ruth Thompsons' vision has created a space that provides opportunities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. 

The Cafe provides meaningful training and competitively-paid employment for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities since 2015. The cafe focuses on what each person can do and not on what they cannot, no job is too small or too big. The workers who are referred to as teammates and not employees do everything starting from hosting and managing food prep. The cafe thrives on meaningful employment for all, all the workers are held to the same standard which is a great attitude and great effort. The Hugs cafe is connected to the Hugs Greenhouse, a place where nurture and nature go hand in hand. The employees say that they love working in the environment and being part of one gigantic family. Speaking about what prompted her to start the cafe Thompson said "once they age out of high school at the age of 21, there's very few opportunities for them. It kept resonating with me.....we had to do something."

The place is so popular and loved that there's a waiting list for employment, the overwhelming response prompted the creation of Hugs training academy. The academy coaches on how to land jobs with partnering companies in the future. They recently held their first graduation ceremony. 

Source: CBS News