Our family had the opportunity to experience the inclusion, deliciousness and excitement of a trip to the mobile Ri's Coffee cart this weekend. My oldest daughter Lexi, is on the Autism Spectrum and her special interest is all things Disney-related. Imagine her delight when we arrived at Ri's Coffee, that was parked in front of City Hope on Saturday and the amazing people working at the stand started to play Disney music and made her her all time favorite beverage, chocolate milk! I got my signature caramel latte, and it was absolutely amazing. Read more here about their amazing coffee and how it is sourced.
And to make our experience even more memorable, the staff set Lexi up with karaoke right in front of the coffee stand where she got to rock "How Far I'll Go" from Moana.
They gathered a crowd to cheer for her and she had the best time!
She also got to meet a new friend named Joshua! Joshua is one of Ri's Coffee's first employees and is possibly one of the most outgoing, and fun people we've ever met. He always has a smile on his face and his energy is contagious.
In the photo above from left to right is Lexi's Mimi, Joshua, Bethany (owner & founder of Ri's Coffee), Lexi and Lexi's Papa.
One of the many things we love about this cause is the story behind it all. As posted on their website:
"Ri’s Coffee was the inspiration of two friends who both have siblings with special needs. Growing up surrounded by a differently abled community, they developed a passion to equip and empower others to reach their individual potential. The coffee shop was named after Mariah, a young lady who has cerebral palsy and is non-verbal. Along the way, caring people assisted her to discover abilities, cultivate skills, and inspire others to live their best life. Mariah radiates joy that spreads quickly to others with a simple shining smile. Ri’s coffee aspires to offer adults like Mariah meaningful employment where they can learn, grow, and make someone’s day a little brighter."
Having had the opportunity to meet Mariah, we couldn't help but be totally taken by the love and special relationship she has with her sister Bethany. I can only hope that my two daughters will share a similar bond as they grow together in life. It's such a beautiful thing.
We are so excited to be supporting this amazing non-profit organization as they embark on a journey to eventually raise enough funding to create a brick and mortar location that will employ adults with disabilities with adaptive equipment.
With every purchase you make on www.theaplife.com, 15% of the total amount of your purchase can be designated toward this amazing startup. Just make sure to select "Ri's Coffee" after checkout.