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- [Ladd] It has been a dream to work at a coffee shop.
I picture myself nowhere else.
The people that I work with are phenomenal.
It's just a life-changing experience so far.
You know, really and truly, I'm blessed to work here.
- [Stephen] Sometimes people like me
can have a bit of trouble working.
It's definitely a good opportunity for like,
social interactions, and, 'cause I don't get that too often.
- [Judd] This is his first job.
He's just not had an opportunity to be a rock star
until he started working here.
And so everybody wants their children to succeed,
and this has been a great place for him to be.
- [Missy] He's had autism all of his life.
So 18 years, we've known Stephen and walked with Stephen.
And, you know, as he gets older into being an adult
you kinda wonder, you know, what happens next?
Where does he go?
And so, I think this has really opened things up for Steven.
- [Stephen] I think Esteamed Coffee
has really helped me with, you know,
interacting with people and making friends.
Just to get used to working, doing a job.
- [Judd] You know, I've always thought he needed
just an understanding employer.
And it helps to have some understanding folks
that come in as customers.
And this is exactly that.
- [Ladd] Since I'm a people person, it just helped me.
It's a whole different world.
- [Ryan] Saying good morning to all of the customers-
- [Clay] And then have a nice day when I leave and--
- [Ryan] -doing my best and seeing all the pretty customers.
- [Clay] -always smiling and everything.
- [Ryan] And working hard and making lots of money.
- [Ladd] I honestly love to interact with the customers
and my co-workers.
I could see having friends,
they're part of the friends,
and the whole Esteamed family as a whole.
- [Angie] They're just interacting with the community.
And they're building new relationships with each other,
their co-workers, as well as, you know,
getting to know people in the general public.
- [Missy] I love that
the general public has the opportunity
to kinda enter into their world a little bit
and support these folks, these adults that are here.
- [Ladd] When I come in to this job, day in, day out,
and see those people come back for more and more and more.
And that, to me, says we have a big impact
on the community as a whole.
- [Tamara] Just because somebody has a disability
doesn't mean they can't learn a job skill,
and do a great job at it,
and be a real contributing member of the community.
We realize that for some of our employees
this may be a permanent job.
Which is great, we'd love to keep them!
But for others, there may be other things
that they want to go on to.
- [Angie] If someone were to walk in as a customer,
who owns a business of a different type, and they go,
"Oh that person right there
would be an asset to my employment place".
And so they'd get retreated away.
And then maybe we might have space
for someone else that we can bring in,
give them the job skill development and the groundwork
to rise to the potential of their meaning of life.
- [Tamara] I think over time, it's gonna change perception
that the community has about individuals
with different abilities.
- [Ladd] You know, there are no better people
running the place.
And I couldn't have done this without them.
- [Narrator] Esteamed Coffee is at 114 South Academy Street
in Cary, and they're open Tuesday through Saturday.
For more information,
check them out online at esteamedcoffee.com.