Delaware County coffee shop helps people with disabilities

A coffee shop in Delaware County is serving up more than food and drinks. The shop is giving people with disabilities the opportunity to learn new skills. 

FOX 29 Photojournalist Bill Rohrer has the story. 

Jim Wurster just opened a new coffee shop inside the Kelly Center for Music Arts and Community called New Avenue Café.  

"We want to provide a space, a comfy space, a homey space, a family-oriented space where people can come and see everybody that has a difference," Jim Wurster said.

People with disabilities can volunteer for a few hours a week.  Volunteer Jonathan Dorfman loves to make smoothies and eventually he’ll learn to make lattes.

"They are no different than anybody else, everybody has value, and everybody has a skill and can contribute to everything.  They just need the opportunity," Wurster explained. "This is the opportunity that we created a business that employs people with different abilities and eventually we will be giving them a paycheck when we start making some money."

Jim Wurster is the CEO of the New Avenue Foundation, which is a nonprofit that helps people with disabilities and autism have meaningful lives. His daughter, Alicia, has autism and is his inspiration.

"We have been advocating for her all her life, as all parents do, trying to find what her future is going to be when we are gone. Parents, unfortunately, don’t last forever," he said. "This space will hopefully provide some comfort. Not just our daughter but a lot of other people."

So far, the feedback is very positive. Paul Kelly is the co-owner of the community center.

"We are finding out that this is a need that hasn’t been fulfilled.  As we see people come through the door, people say this is great what you are able to do here. It is great that my son or daughter has a place to come and work, feel needed," Kelly said.

 This coffee shop and community center also provide a space for John Thomas to come with his friend Jesse to work on a new movie script.

"I am working on a story about a superhero," Thomas said.