Eyes That See the Good in Things - March 26, 2018

The news is playing in the background as I am writing this column, and I looked up with interest as they talked about it being World Down Syndrome Day. What a coincidence, that’s exactly what I had planned on talking about today! The mother in the news clip said that she had been participating in a random act of kindness campaign to bring Down syndrome to people’s minds. She is also trying increase inclusion of people with Down’s syndrome and dispel popular myths.

World Down Syndrome Day began as a day dedicated to supporting the rights, inclusion and well-being of people with Down syndrome worldwide. The news story went on to share the inspiring story of a 27-year-old woman with Down syndrome who went job hunting and, after repeated job rejections for not being a “good fit,” she decided she would make her own job and start her own cookie company.

Less than three years after Collette Divitto founded Collettey’s Cookies, she’s sold hundreds of thousands of cookies and hired 11 other people with disabilities, something she says she is very proud of. But Collette knows there is still much work to be done, because although part of her dream is to make cookies and create a job for herself, a bigger part of her dream is to help other people with disabilities find employment. “My biggest challenge is reading all my emails,” she says. “[There are] so many emails from people needing jobs so bad, and I want to help them now.”

Collette knows how the people who write these e-mails must feel. She perfected her baking skills in her family’s kitchen for over ten years, but when she tried to make her love of baking into a career by applying for jobs at local bakeries, she was turned down countless times, year after year. Finally, Collette, who said “it was really hurtful, and I felt rejected a lot,” started her own cookie company, Collettey’s Cookies. She started selling her signature cinnamon-dipped chocolate chip Amazing Cookie, making 100 cookies per week for a local grocery store. After her story went viral in 2016, her business received a surge of support. That allowed her to move her home-based business into an industrial kitchen in Boston and expand production.

Collette’s struggle to find work prior to starting her business is a common one for people with disabilities. She also hopes to inspire other people with disabilities pursue their dreams and find their own paths to success. “Don’t let people get you down, and never give up,” she asserts. “If you find a road block, then find another road.”

Another inspirational story about Bitty and Beau’s Coffee provides a unique experience. Amy Wright, the owner of the shop, received a 2017 Hero of the Year award for helping people with disabilities earn a living. The shop, which is named after two of her children who have Down syndrome, is run by people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The customers not only love the products, but they also love the unique customer service.

The original Beau’s Coffee opened January 2016 in a 500 square foot space in Wilmington, N.C. It was run by 19 employees with intellectual and developmental disabilities. With over 80 percent of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) unemployed nationwide, Beau’s Coffee created a path for people with IDD to become more valued, accepted and included in every community. In July 2016, Beau’s Coffee was renamed Bitty & Beau’s Coffee. It was Beau’s birthday wish to have his little sister’s name included. They then moved Bitty & Beau’s to a 5,000 square foot building that now serves as both a local coffee house and the company’s national headquarters. Bitty & Beau’s Coffee not only employs 40 people with IDD, but it also creates a culture where diversity is not just appreciated, it’s celebrated.

That same kind of entrepreneurial spirit also exists closer to home. A Bismarck Tribune article introduced us to parent Sandy and Matt McMerty of Bismarck. The McMertys believed in setting the bar high for their three children to see them succeed.

When Cristian McMerty, 13, was born with Down syndrome, the McMertys wanted to find a way for their son to succeed in life instead of being limited. The McMertys were inspired after they stumbled across Tim’s Place in Albuquerque, N.M. Tim’s Place is a successful restaurant that is owned and operated by Tim Harris, a man with Down’s Syndrome. His restaurant’s slogan is “comfort, food and hugs.”

Inspired by Tim’s Place, the McMertys said they thought it would be great if they could find a type of business they could all run together. Years after they initially saw Tim’s Place, the McMertys opened The Gifted Bean Coffee House. Their hope is that one day, Cristian will be able to take over the business.

Once the coffee house is established, their eventual goal is to provide a supportive working environment for others in the community with “unique talents.” “We really want to emphasize that people with disabilities can do the same things we can do,” Matt McMerty said. “They just do it differently.”

“The coffee house is a good opportunity for people with Down syndrome, autism, Asperger’s and others who require a routine,” Sandy McMerty said. “There’s a lot in a coffee shop that is routine,” she said, including making coffee, baking and wiping tables.

When you’re in Bismarck, the Gifted Bean Coffee House is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fridays and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays in the Bismarck Veterans Memorial Public Library.

Tolerance-building books for children and teens that encourage acceptance of differences, whether the difference is due to gender, race, ethnicity, religion, class, sexual orientation, appearance or ability, visit the “Tolerance & Acceptance” section at http://amgrl.co/2nui6vU.

We would love to share local stories about the good things your eyes are seeing.

Stop in to share your stories with us, give us a call at 947-2417 or e-mail us at [email protected]. Or send a letter to Eyes That See the Good in Things, c/o Allison Lindgren, The Transcript, 6 8th St N., New Rockford, ND 58356.