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Esteamed Coffee’s mission is to lower the unemployment rate and increase the quality of life for adults with intellectual, developmental, communication, and/or visual disabilities by creating meaningful jobs and social opportunities in a warm, supportive environment. According to the US Department of Labor, the labor force participation rate for individuals ages 16-64 with a disability was 41%, compared with a rate of 77.9% for those without a disability (April 2025). There are close to 9,000 individuals with a disability currently living in Cary alone. Esteamed Coffee enriches the lives of these citizens through providing employment at our downtown Cary cafe, giving our staff with disabilities a steady source of income, a sense of agency, the dignity of work, and the opportunity to integrate into mainstream society.

Since opening in 2020, we have employed a total of 29 adults with disabilities, providing financial well-being while teaching transferable job and social skills. Through the confidence and abilities honed at Esteamed Coffee, several staff with disabilities have moved on to full time work at mainstream companies in Cary and the surrounding area.

As noted in the Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, adults with disabilities tend to have few friends and experience social exclusion.  A study of adults who experienced a supported social group revealed that “with appropriate and targeted support, adults with intellectual disabilities can move from social exclusion towards supported inclusion and experience richer lives.” Results from this study also stated that the increased social inclusion improved overall life satisfaction and health outcomes for adults with disabilities.
 
To play a part in improving social opportunities for adults with various disabilities in our community, Esteamed Coffee created a Social Events program in September of 2022. At least twice a month, Esteamed Coffee hosts public events in Cary for adults with disabilities. These events include game nights, karaoke parties, speed friending, art classes, and more. Our social events encourage independence and relationship building, as caretakers are encouraged to drop their participants off. This gives the guests a sense of autonomy and pride as they order their own drinks and socialize independently with their peers. Since starting this program, we have hosted close to 60 social events for adults with disabilities at the cafe.

We support the wider community by using our space to showcase between four and six North Carolina artists with visual, communication, and/or intellectual and developmental disabilities. These artists receive a commission on every sale. We also host several Disability Inclusive Artist Markets in our cafe lot, providing a free platform for artists with disabilities to showcase and sell their work to the wider community.  Last year alone, we were able to pay close to $10,000 in commissions and provide economic opportunity to 23 artists with disabilities in North Carolina.

We provide opportunities for adults with disabilities to serve at the coffee shop alongside community volunteers. This program gives volunteers the chance to develop their own workplace skills while providing a sense of accomplishment. Last year we supported 29 shop floor volunteers who served 1,480 hours of meaningful work in the café. In addition to this, volunteers help supervise social events, plan fundraisers, and serve in groups like our merchandise or local art committees.

The EsTEAMers Program at Esteamed Coffee transforms creativity into empowerment, offering our baristas with disabilities the unique opportunity to contribute to a product line of employee-designed merchandise. Each quarter, our talented staff members create original artwork, often paired with inspirational messages, which we feature on items such as stickers, t-shirts, mugs, keychains, and more. The impact of this program is tangible: 100% of the proceeds from these products are returned directly to our employees with disabilities in the form of semi-annual bonuses. To date, the EsTEAMers program has provided an average bonus of $430 per employee, fostering financial independence and self-esteem within the disability community.

Esteamed Coffee is committed to empowering adults with intellectual, developmental, communication and/or visual disabilities by providing financial assistance for education, vocational training, or entrepreneurial endeavors. This $1000 scholarship aims to support individuals in achieving their professional and personal goals. Funds may be used for tuition, training fees, business startup costs, or other approved expenses. This year, we awarded our first Full Steam Ahead scholarship to Jason Clinard Roth, a student headed to UNC School of the Arts who aims to amplify autistic voices in film. This award will support his dream of creating inclusive cinema that reflects his experiences and empowers autistic filmmakers.

The Training Grounds Program is a new initiative designed to support adults with disabilities in transitioning from employment at our nonprofit cafe to positions in inclusive, mainstream workplaces. Each six-month cohort will include 1–3 cafe team members who receive personalized, skills-based training in preparation for job placement with carefully selected and supported partner employers. Throughout the program, our management team will work closely with both the employee and the employer to provide job-specific coaching, soft skills development, and mentorship. Once placed, participants will continue to receive structured support through on-site check-ins and follow-up training to ensure a smooth transition and long-term success. Additionally, the creation of the Training Grounds Program will create a revolving door of employment at Esteamed Coffee, opening up positions for adults with disabilities to work at the cafe as Training Grounds participants graduate to outside employment.