It might be fair to say that the community of Wilmington, North Carolina, has a favorite place for coffee. It’s called Bitty & Beau’s and it’s run by individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Amy Wright and her husband own the shop and named it after their two youngest children – Bitty and Beau – who have Down syndrome.
“While Bitty and Beau aren’t looking for jobs right now, ” says Wright “It’s on our radar. There’s a statistic that somewhere between 70-85% of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities are unemployed–and we just think that’s an embarrassment to our country.”
More than 40 individuals are employed by the business, and patrons describe it as a special place that is warm and welcoming.
And today we celebrate...