money Riverside Coffee Shop gives special-needs young adults life skills and employment opportunities
On the border between Farragut and Lenoir City sits a coffee shop like no other. Riverside Coffee Shop is an oasis of acceptance and love for its special needs volunteers and interns.
Founder Angela Lee is mother to four children, one of whom has Down syndrome.
“I founded this place last October to essentially give Tristan, my son with special needs, something to do. When the pandemic hit, he was in his room alone all day, day after day, and that just was not healthy. Riverside Coffee Shop will be a full transition program. Transition from high school to the real world,” Lee said.
Lee is a board certified behavior analyst. She said she’s used to 10 kids being in her caseload so she’s opened the program up to nine more kids. The first class starts March 22.
The program is a full meaningful training day offering vocational skills, social skills and life skills training. Each process is broken down into small, manageable steps.
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“Special needs kids have to be taught in small, planned steps, sort of like a task analysis. Things we take for granted are broken down into a step-by-step process. I’m going to support them when they forget a step and fall back when they are completing the task.
“My end goal is to work myself out of a job and let them take over that skill. When they come so far in the program — and when I’m able to hire — I plan to hire them to work in the coffee shop. Employment opportunities are just too few for special needs young adults.
“I want the kids to be employable, but moreso I want them to be interacting with the community. I want this to be a full inclusion program so that the community can get to know my kids, and they can get to know the community. Acceptance for everyone. Let’s all love each other and work with each other.”
Lee said she believes in supporting local. The coffee comes exclusively from Vienna Coffee Company in Maryville. The pastries are made by local baker Esther Kant. Her coffee cake brings in customers.
Brooke Hasbrouck of Farragut brought her mother, Maryann Cooper, and son, Waylon Hasbrouck, to the coffee shop to support their friend Kant.
“We just came in to get pastries made by my friend Esther. We didn’t know this was such a special place. I have special needs grandkids so we’re going to support this place as a family,” Cooper said.
“It’s a godsend to know places like this exist to give my grandkids a place to learn life skills when they get to be teenagers and young adults.”
Lee said God put this program on her heart two years ago, but she had to be patient to implement her plan until doors opened. Two Rivers Church owns the building and charges her very low rent.
She is currently waiting on her payroll tax ID so she can hire her students. Right now everyone is a volunteer or intern. Tips are split among them so everyone goes home with something in their pocket for a day’s work.
Riverside Coffee Shop is open 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday through Friday at 16239 Hwy. 70 E. (behind Bob Leonard Park), Lenoir City.
Info: www.abanextsteps.com, 865-816-3711.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Riverside Coffee Shop gives jobs to special needs volunteers, interns
