TA K E N OT E
8
By Sarah Mosqueda
Coffee for a Cause Able Coffee Roasters was founded by Adeel Asif and Anthony Palmeri, who met working together in an autism classroom. The two worked daily with their students on vocational skills, but often found that despite the generosity of employers, the work sites weren’t equipped to help students reach their full potential. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for individuals with special needs is over 80%. Asif and Palmeri aimed to reduce that number by developing Able Coffee Roasters, a coffee-roasting company that employs individuals with autism and other disabilities. Their quality organic beans are imported directly from small farmers and roasted daily, creating paying jobs for the special needs community. Their Huntington Beach storefront is open for take-out and delivery and they’re closing the employment gap, one cup of coffee at a time. theableworkers.com
Photo credit courtesy of Able Coffee, The Find Consignment, and Angie Wisdom
