  321 Coffee is a “coffee shop and roaster providing meaningful work opportunities to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.”

321 Coffee

The Resource Key Featured Brand this week is 321 Coffee.

They are located in Raleigh, North Carolina at 1209 Farmers Market Dr.
Market Shoppes Slot 48 Raleigh, NC 27603

 321 Coffee is a “coffee shop and roaster providing meaningful work opportunities to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.” Learn more about how 321 Coffee has grown to where it is today in interview with NC State Poole’s Startup Series featuring co-founders Lindsay Wrege and Michael Evans.

Why did The Resource Key want to feature 321 Coffee? 

Beyond 321 Coffee’s mission around people, they strive to do their best for the planet too in different ways. Some of the ways 321 Coffee is making an impact are as follows:

All of employees at 321 Coffee are paid base rates starting above minimum wage plus tips.

Employs over 30 adults with disabilities, and they are working to partner with other businesses to further promote inclusion through a diverse supply chain.

Fully compostable cups, lids, straws, etc. in their shop

Refillable growler program to reduce plastic waste

Compost our used coffee grounds and other waste weekly

Fully recyclable packaging with packing supplies repurposed from deliveries

80% of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are unemployed. 321 Coffee’s mission is to change this. “321 currently employs over 30 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). They are the ones roasting the coffee, taking the orders, and making the lattes.” 321 Coffee is demonstrating the value of an inclusive business model. 

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Purchase Coffee in Person or in their Shop|  Partner with 321 Coffee 

“Together, we are building a company that stands for inclusion and doing business the right way.”

“Together, we are building a company that stands for inclusion and doing business the right way.” — 321 Coffee

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Living in society as a woman with a Learning Disability

"I cannot change the fact that I have a disability and how limiting society can be. The only thing I can do is use strategies to help myself be able to do things and compensate. I use my voice to speak power and hopefully a more inclusive society. " -Michelle Steiner

Interconnected will be an important word as we continue to look towards the future in building inclusion and accessibility.  Taking new information, unrelated concepts, different perspectives and interconnecting them to build out the future will be a skillset to continue to develop to continue moving forward.

Interconnected

"We want to be a community that is centered around universal design and being inclusive of all people regardless of ability. That means that we have to continue to learn about accessibility and disability, and celebrate the many contributions and gifts our disabled students bring to our campus.” -Eduardo Pazos, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs for Inclusion and Diversity

The Resource Key is proud to announce that we have been listed in The Valuable Directory, a unique resource featuring expertise within digital, physical and cognitive accessibility, as well as tools for inclusive recruitment and branding practices.  As one of only 77 successful organisations globally, we are proud to have been selected by an independent expert review panel.  Our appointment shows our ongoing support to ending disability exclusion, and we look forward to working with The Valuable 500 companies to achieve this.

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"The Resource Key is proud to announce that we have been listed in The Valuable Directory, a unique resource featuring expertise within digital, physical and cognitive accessibility, as well as tools for inclusive recruitment and branding practices.  As one of only 77 successful organisations globally, we are proud to have been selected by an independent expert review panel. "

Mozzeria is a pizzeria located in Washington, DC that is known for their authentic wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas.  We love that inclusion and accessibility is embedded within every area of Mozzeria.

The Restaurant Redefining How to Build Community

“I really want to see deaf employees earn the respect that they deserve, so that when somebody walks in that doesn’t sign, they see that deaf people can do everything from owning a restaurant to bartending to cooking.” — Ryan Maliszewski, Mozzeria CEO

100 Cameras “works with youth around the world who have had challenging experiences, and they teach them to process and tell their stories through photography in a way that impacts how they view themselves and their role in their community.”

100 Cameras

“Every kid – no matter their background or circumstances – deserves the right to have access to tools that support them in processing their experiences in a way that creates space for emotional freedom in their future."  — 100 Cameras

AgrAbility is a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) funded program that provides support, education, and assistance to ranchers and farmers with disabilities. AgrAbility was started through the 1990 Farm bill, the first eight State/Regional AgrAbility Projects (SRAPs) were funded in 1991. During that time, “the National AgrAbility Project (NAP) was led by Purdue University’s Breaking New Ground Resource Center in partnership with Easter Seals (national office).” 

AgrAbility

“Agricultural workers with disabilities are often unable to continue working in a manner they are accustomed to, resulting in reduced productivity and increased chance of secondary injury. But with the help of AgrAbility, many of these professionals are able to put their knowledge and expertise back into the field.”  — AgrAbility

Yes I Can provides career skills training and employment services to individuals with disabilities to assist them in developing the skills they will need to secure a career within the entertainment industry earning a competitive wage.

Yes I Can Unity Through Music and Education

“YIC believes individuals with disabilities should have the same right as non-disabled individuals to have access to a full range of available employment opportunities and to earn a living wage in a job of their choosing based on their talents, skills, and interests.” — Yes I Can Unity Through Music and Education (YIC)

Inclusively is the technology-centered inclusion solution and employment platform for job seekers with disabilities, mental health conditions, and chronic illnesses. 

Inclusively

“I believe that having a job is something that can change someone’s life. It is something that provides stability, but not just financial stability, it provides something that you can look forward to, that you can work on, that you can have successes in, that you can become better at, that you can learn to overcome challenges.” — Charlotte Dales, CEO of Inclusively

Photography and video exhibit – both online and in-studio – that showcases the food-related stories of eight disabled Canadians, eight Canadians from culturally diverse backgrounds, and eight Cowichan Valley food and beverage producers.

Cowichan Valley Disability, Culture and Food Through Art Exhibit

"I want to use my platform to showcase the stories of other people, I want to elevate their voices, I don’t want to tell their story for them, I want to give them the ability to share their stories to allow people to connect with it. Like you are sitting down with a friend over a cup of coffee and you’re learning about something that you have never ever ever have thought of before because of your own privilege and you’re like wow how have I not know about this I want to be part of a solution.”— Jules Sherred

Input from the disabled community is a critical part of any company’s inclusivity efforts. Here’s how to seek out their perspectives.

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"It is important to have a company culture that welcomes people with disabilities prior to them being hired for a position. The culture is a thread that is interlaced into each area of the company, from its values to its recruitment process, efforts to retain employees and provide leadership opportunities for growth, to many other areas." -Jourdan Saunders, CEO of The Resource Key

We enjoyed reading this article about The Goodtime Hotel a few weeks ago. In the article “Grutman said the goal is to make “aspiration accessible,” and Birnbaum said the hotel will be “affordable luxury.” We looked on The Goodtime Hotel website and they specifically state all of the ways in which their hotel is accessible. We love that inclusion and accessibility were thought of from the start.

Hotel Ensuring Accessibility from the Start

“Grutman said the goal is to make “aspiration accessible,” and Birnbaum said the hotel will be “affordable luxury.” We looked on The Goodtime Hotel website and they specifically state all of the ways in which their hotel is accessible. We love that inclusion and accessibility were thought of from the start.

The Project Why is what comes to mind when starting, agreeing or pursuing any project.  Sometimes the “Why” is just as important as the project itself. Why did you agree to this project?  This question is important because when committing to a project we want to be able to finish what we started, and asking the “Why” questions allows a deeper understanding of the connection to the project, and commitment to the project. 

The Project Why

Events have the capacity to bring about change, to create spaces to develop relationships to bring about change, and gather new information to use to bring about change.

Events Empower

Authentic Representation is so important.  Authentic is key because you can have representation without it being authentic. 

Authentic Representation

Music can be such a powerful tool for activism in the community, leadership through lyrics, and communicating authentic messages. 

Who are we designing for? What are we considering when we are designing? So many more questions that come to mind when designing and more importantly inclusive and accessible design.  Honestly, we wouldn’t have to say “inclusive and accessible design” if inclusion and accessibility was a part of our design process from the start. The design process is constantly changing, evolving, open to change.  Nothing about design feels static or not changing. 

Design Impact

Who are we designing for? What are we considering when we are designing? So many more questions that come to mind when designing and more importantly inclusive and accessible design. 

Stay Connected takes on a whole new meaning depending on the person, context, and environment.

Discover The Resource Key's expert-led speaking engagements and custom programs designed to enhance inclusivity, accessibility, and innovation across various industries. Learn how we can help your organization drive impactful change and achieve sustainable success. Book a consultation today!

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Discover how The Resource Key contributed to the 3rd Annual Head to Speech Interprofessional Task Force Summit and Brain Health, Sports & Fitness Expo 2024. Explore our journey in fostering community, education, and collaborative practices across disciplines related to brain health, sports medicine, and more. Learn about the summit's impact on the Head to Speech Community and how it aligns with our core mission to build bridges within the community.

The Resource Key at the Head to Speech Summit 2024 for Brain Health & Sports

The Resource Key was a vendor at Head to Speech Summit & Expo in Washington DC at University of the District of Columbia.

Improve your social media presence with The Resource Key's free webinar replay on 4 Ways to Make Your Social Media Inclusive and Accessible. Learn about using alt text, image descriptions, color contrast, and hashtags, as well as best practices for accessible content creation and strategies for creating an inclusive online community. Receive a webinar replay, transcript, PowerPoint, and reference outline with resources for free. Start creating a more diverse and equitable online community today.

4 Ways to Make Your Social Media Inclusive and Accessible - Free Webinar Replay

Inclusive Starter Keys:  Inclusive and Accessible Social Media.

Free Inclusive and Accessible Social Media

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