The Peach State is exporting the success of an Area-area nonprofit to the Golden State. Classic City based Java Joy, a mobile coffee cart service operated by adults with disabilities, is launching a branch in the Golden Gate City of San Francisco.
Laura Whittaker is executive director of Extra Special People.
“I don’t have the skill set to be a joyrista, but there are people out there, there are people here, there people in California that have what most people see as disabilities and what we have seen they have invaluable abilities are ready to be uncovered that most of us really need,” Whittaker said.
The Joyristas are given the opportunity to experience self-sustaining employment and learn life skills through their responsibilities. They go through training and development, then travel to businesses and events with a mobile coffee cart.
“And our joyristas from Athens that are experienced and have been doing this for three years are going to train the news joyristas in San Francisco and then we will actually have a white apron ceremony for our San Francisco joyristas on Thursday before we leave,” according to Whittaker. “The Athens joyristas will hand them their white apron and let them graduate and then be the joyristas for San Francisco.”
Java Joy hopes to inspire a culture of inclusivity across the nation, starting with San Francisco. By 2022, Java Joy aims to expand to 15 cities and employ 250 adults with disabilities.
