New 'inclusion' coffeehouse bringing people together in east Hamilton
CBC
A new coffeehouse on Cannon Street East in Hamilton is hoping to be a space in the city's east end where everyone can feel welcome and accepted.
The Inclusion Coffeehouse, which had its official launch Tuesday, is staffed by members of L'Arche Hamilton, an organization made up of "people with and without intellectual disabilities," striving to "create a city where everyone belongs."
Sarah Tuck, executive director of L'Arche Hamilton told CBC that the idea behind the coffeehouse came from a need in the Ward 3 neighbourhood for a social enterprise and a place to come together.
"Where we are, there's not a lot of places where people can gather and sit down and have a coffee together," she said.
"The idea of a coffeehouse came up and it was something that had a lot of traction."
Michael Mattice volunteers at the coffeehouse — located across from Tim Hortons Field, inside the Bernie Morelli Recreation Centre — and said his favourite part of the job is having a place "for those who don't have a place to call home." He also appreciates also the feeling of independence he gets from the work.
"[It's a] bit of a challenge but also it's good to work as an independent [person]," he told CBC's Fresh Air, ahead of the Tuesday launch event.
"Being confident and helping out is a great way to experience that."
The coffeehouse has been open since December, but it is celebrating its launch this week. Tuck said the community has already shown great support.
"There [is] already a diverse group of people who come to the centre, they're seniors, there are parents in talk groups, there are students from the school nearby, youth coming for activities," she said.
"That's the feedback that we've received so far, that people enjoy feeling like they're welcome there and they're accepted as they are and valued."
For now, the coffeehouse has limited hours, but Tuck is hoping that will change soon.
She said she's hoping to get more volunteers soon in order to expand.
"We are currently hoping to expand both the hours that we're open and then the number of days, so we have a second group of core members who are in training right now and we're always looking for more volunteers as well."
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