Heart of Stark: Joy and java coming soon from Whole Latte Love Café

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The building is renovated, the final inspection is passed and Whole Latte Love Café Inc. (WLLC) is eager to start serving the community.

All the North Canton coffee shop needs now is a team of oriented support staff to train its smiling trainees before opening its doors. WLLC is a nonprofit that teaches customer service skills to people with disabilities in a coffee shop setting, while also addressing society's assumptions about the nature and meaning of disability.

After spending 15 years in the field of vocational rehabilitation assisting, advocating and creating jobs for disabled job seekers, Beth Humbert was acutely aware of the need for a supported, yet transferable customer service training option in Stark County.

Inspired by her own daughter's love for serving others, Humbert created WLLC to offer a specialized café setting where supported employment training is extended for any transitional adult with an intellectual or developmental disability after graduating high school.

According to the bureau of labor statistics, in 2016, only 17.9% of people with a disability were employed. Through the mentoring program of WLLC, a participating individual will receive guidance in a paid integrated environment complete with soft skills, job training and resume-building experience for future endeavors.

The final step for the organization is hiring experienced baristas, kitchen workers, drivers, service industry professionals and retail operations supervisors to work with and provide customer service training to those that are differently-abled. Once these positions are filled, WLLC hopes to begin showcasing the talents of its trainees and serving the community in the next couple of months.

To learn more about the Whole Latte Love Café or apply, visit www.wholelattelovecafe.org/careers.

The Stark Community Foundation helps individuals, families, businesses and nonprofits achieve their philanthropic goals through a variety of charitable funds and strategic initiatives. Ranked in the top 10% of community foundations in the country, the foundation and its family of donors have granted $200 million to nonprofits since 1963. Learn how you can simplify your giving and amplify your impact at www.starkcf.org.

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