WESTBORO, MASS. (WHDH) - A new café in Westboro is run by and only employs individuals who are recovering from and living with traumatic brain injuries to help them in their rehabilitation journeys.
Café Nine opened in January as “an employment and training program for adults living with acquired brain injuries and other disabilities.” The employees are all part of the Mass Ability Organization or the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services.
The café is located in Westboro Executive Park on Route 9 and is run by MAB Community Services, a nonprofit that has been helping and creating opportunities for people with disabilities since 1903.
“Massachusetts is a great state to live in if you need support, but getting jobs as an adult with a disability is really challenging. So instead of fighting to get everybody jobs in the community, we really focused to build something as a precurser for that community job, so something to get on their resume,” said Anastasia Kanistras, Chief Advancement Officer at MAB Community Services.
Employees train and work in a real café environment, serving customers food and beverages, while simultaneously building their confidence, skills, and pathways to long-term employment, according to the nonprofit.
“Cafés are great because you can work on so many skills, there are so many transferable skills,” said Kanistras. “They’ve learned how to do things like take temperatures and make food. So we do breakfast and lunch for the building…they’re working on their money skills, their accounting skills, their organizational skills.”
Employees say the opportunity to work at Café Nine has changed their lives.
“This brought a whole new light on my life and I enjoy it and I like coming to work. The people are enocouraging, it’s an inspirational opportunity,” said Jeanie Scott, an employee at the café.
“It’s done everything for me, it gets me out in the public with other people, even if it’s not customers, I’m with other people,” said Heather Goodwin, another employee.
According to Mad Community Services, people who come to work at the café often spent years living in nursing facilities until they were able to move to the community with support from the MassHealth Acquired Brain Injury Waiver program or the Moving Forward Plan. Nonprofit leaders say the café is a major step in their rehabilitation.
“You can see the participants – their confidence is growing, they’re standing taller,” said Kanistras.
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