Coffee Uniting People Brews Job Skills for People with Disabilities

It seems like there’s a coffee shop on every block, and they all offer more or less the same stuff. But one coffee company in Tampa is serving up much more than lattes and muffins.Coffee Uniting People, or CUP, is a nonprofit coffeehouse that employs mostly people with disabilities. With three locations in Tampa, CUP teaches valuable life skills to folks who are too often overlooked for employment.Dalia chatted with CUP barista Katie Huettel, along with CUP co-founders Greg and Laura Jones. In this conversation, the Joneses share why they started CUP and advice for business owners looking to hire and support employees with disabilities. Katie also explains how the skills she’s learning at CUP translate to the rest of her life. And the three of them share their favorite beverages and foods from the CUP menu.Related episodes:For Young Adults—Especially Those with Special Needs —Cooking Skills Bring IndependenceMiami Herald’s Carlos Frías on Cuban Coffee, Edible Iguanas & Winning the James Beard AwardThe Cuban Sandwich—Our National Treasure