Coffee just got a lot friendlier at St. James campus. A new, Fair Trade certified organic coffee spot that supports and mentors people with varying developmental challenges opened in front of the Kings Lounge.
By Karen Nickel
Dialog Reporter
Julie Godfrey (left) and Rachel Boardman work the Coffee Shed at St. James campus. Photo: Karen Nickel / The Dialog
Coffee just got a lot friendlier at St. James campus. A new, Fair Trade certified organic coffee spot opened in front of the Kings Lounge. The Coffee Shed, and its co-business, Lemon and Allspice (which bakes the tasty snacks) are social enterprises operating under the umbrella of the Common Grounds Co-Operative, a local, not-for-profit organization that supports and mentors people with varying developmental challenges as they learn employment skills and get experience.
The co-op began in 2000, soon after Kathy Lemon, a young woman with developmental challenges, began a baking business with a government grant that hired a job coach for her. The business kept expanding from then.
Right now, there are three Coffee Sheds in Toronto, the St. James operation being a satellite of one of the three; there is one kitchen, and a fifth enterprise, CleanABLE, cares for and cleans toys used for behavioural therapies by children with Autism and developmental challenges.
Karen Curtis, a job coach for the Coffee Shed partners, spoke about the program, “As a job coach, I provide employment support for the partners, but I don’t do the work. All decision making, baking and selling are done by the Partners.”
The people operating and managing the different businesses, called “partners”, are paid through a profit sharing structure from the money the enterprise takes in.
Explaining how individuals become partners, Karen said, “The partners are the ones who vote on whether someone will become a partner in the business or not.”
Julie Godfrey, who has been with the business for ten years this July, and Rachel Boardman, also a ten year partner, were working hard at the busy coffee spot.
Karen Curtis said “it has been quite busy both days they had been there; with the Coffee Shed making sixty dollars each day.” She added, “the people who supported and were instrumental in helping bring The Coffee Shed to George Brown College were Edward Huang (Food bank coordinator) and the Student Association.” The Coffee Shed is supplied with coffee from Alternative Grounds Coffee Shop on Roncesvalles. They also provide a venue for selling, Lemon and Allspice baked goods.
The Coffee Shed will be in front of Kings Lounge on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the foreseeable future. Come out and support this amazing enterprise this summer.
