Last night I had the privilege to celebrate the gift of opportunity. I attending the grand opening of a new coffee shop at our Lexus car dealership in Roswell, GA. Doesn’t sound like a big deal but Cafe Blends is a quite a bit more special than the average Starbucks or self-serve coffee kiosk that you will find anywhere. This cafe employs adults with Autism. Three young adults were hired through the Tommy Nobis Foundation to operate and manage a thriving coffee cafe that serves many customers daily who are waiting for their vehicles to be serviced.
My greatest reward in life comes from seeing someone gain an opportunity that will empower them to reach their true potential that otherwise would not exist. We all have obstacles that we allow to get in our way but I’m talking about monumental roadblocks that are out of a persons control. My heart breaks for those in 3rd world poverty because they do not have the same government programs, financial aide grants and the like that will give them the opportunity to receive and advance. The OPPORTUNITY is the biggest void for those in extreme poverty. Similarly, having Autism can create a barrier for so many who are more than capable to work in the marketplace but have extremely limited opportunities to do so.
I have no doubt that the three individuals working at Cafe Blends are highly capable and will do a remarkable job at the dealership. Each one of them gave a wonderful speech to the crowd and Rebecca said, “Thank you, everyone just wants to be treated with dignity and respect.” It was a quote that left an imprint on my heart and strengthened my commitment to support the expansion to open cafes like this in more dealerships and my life’s work which is to give the gift of opportunity.
Please check out the video footage at the URL below that highlights the employees working at the cafe.
