Restaurant to hire individuals with developmental disabilities opens in Wilmington
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) – A Wilmington business has launched a nonprofit with a restaurant that will give individuals with developmental disabilities an opportunity to work.
Blue Willow Café opened late last month. A Caring Heart Case Management, which works with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, started the nonprofit “A Caring Heart Foundation” to run the café.
The Blue Willow Café is located at 2547 South 17th St. in the same shopping center as A Caring Heart Management’s office. A Caring Heart Foundation’s restaurant program is a combined effort between A Caring Heart Management and local chef Nikki Spears, who also opened Nikki’s Sushi.
“We’re going to provide work for people who would not normally have a place to work, and they’re going to be able to work at their own pace, to develop the skills and the confidence that they need,” said Chef Nikki Spears.
Clients of a caring heart management will be connected to work in the program through its “supported employment” service.
“We want our individuals to live as normal of a life as they can. We want them to experience normal activities, a lot of them, –there’s different functioning levels. We have some that are very high functioning that would love to hold a job, and we have some that aren’t as high functioned, but would love to be involved and be included, –and that’s really what we want to do,” said Erin Mairs, A Caring Heart Management program director.
The restaurant is open for business, but has not yet had a grand opening. They’re using the time to help transition the staff into their new positions, and new work setting at the restaurant.
“That would enable them to have a staff with them, to assist if they get in a situation that they might not feel comfortable in. So we probably have about four or five individuals that are going to come over with their staff, and start working and as more and more see, you know they’re going to want to come,” said Mairs.
The café’s hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
