By Spencer Sterritt

Governor General of Canada sings praises of COCO Cafe

Mar 9, 2019 | 2:14 PM

NANAIMO — A visit from an esteemed guest at COCO Cafe in Cedar highlighted how much of a difference it makes to hire those who might get overlooked or left behind.

Governor General Julie Payette met kitchen staff and stayed for lunch at COCO Cafe in Cedar, a much-lauded cafe which employs people with disabilities. Her Saturday visit was part of a four-day B.C. tour.

“It’s so heart warming and also rewarding,” Payette said after her tour of the kitchen, where she took photos with staff and even pressed grooves into the tops of freshly made peanut butter cookies.

Payette said the success of COCO Cafe is a testament to how important it is to open the doors to all when hiring.

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“Dare to dream, dare to make that move because sometimes that’s the hardest part,” she said. “It’s so rewarding to work with people and help them through their journey. (Employees) gain confidence and people gain confidence that this is something which will work and is good for business.”

COCO Cafe’s executive director Melanie Atwell was at a loss for words when describing to NanaimoNewsNOW how it felt to have the Governor General visit the cafe and bring wide smiles to everyone working.

“Words don’t even say. We’ve put a lot of time and dedication into this business. It hasn’t been easy and it’s really show a lot in the impact, both on the community and in the lives of our employees.”

COCO Cafe has won numerous awards since opening nearly eight years ago. Through the Supported Employment Program, roughly half of the cafe’s employees are adults or older youth with developmental disabilities.

Atwell said the program is a fantastic initiative which gains more importance every day as Canada grapples with a labour shortage.

“There’s a great pool of people who are eager and willing if given the chance. They’re some of the most amazing, loyal and dedicated employees you could ever have.”

spencer@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit