Doing Good Things ~ Coffee with a Cause
By Guest Blogger Latasha Barr-Lewis
Coffee with a cause is what you will experience at Cam’s Coffee Co located at 930 S. Broad St. and at the highly anticipated new location at 101 N. Chestnut St. which opened just two days ago.
Camden Myers, affectionately known as Cam, is the 10-year-old co-founder of the business Cam’s Coffee Co. Cam suffers from a traumatic brain injury and began serving coffee on Saturday’s under his mother’s guidance, to work on some of his deficits.
“We didn’t start this thinking we would be in business, as a mom I was looking for a way for my son to thrive through meaningful connections,” his mom, Latasha Lewis said.
“Being here I get to help people with special needs and students,” Cam shared.
However, the impact it’s made in his life is no secret.
“The kid you see today is very different from the kid who started this business. He has grown and overcome so much. I am completely amazed. Who knew that he would gain so many cognitive skills serving a cup of coffee,” Latasha Lewis said.
Lewis says that after selling coffee for several weekends, the impact on Cam was undeniable and it was Cam’s idea to create a business that would hire other people with disabilities.
William Lewis, Cam’s dad, states that “At the time that Cam suggested we start a business to hire differently-able individuals, we were unaware of the challenges and barriers this group faced securing meaningful employment. As we did more research, we saw an opportunity to give to others what we had created for Cam, which is a safe and supportive place to shine a light on their strengths while working on more challenging areas.”
In March of this year, the family officially opened Cam’s Coffee Co. inside the Green Tree community center and began hiring team members.
Katie Murdoch, one of the first barista hired, has been promoted to the position of a trainer and had this to say about her experiences at Cam’s Coffee Co. “I love working at Cam’s Coffee; we are like one big happy family. We all are different, and I am proof that people with disabilities deserve opportunities and working here I get to help other people.”
The business expansion on Chestnut Str. is the first standalone location and will offer a full menu that includes coffee, teas, pastries as well as grab and go breakfast and lunch items.
Cam shares “I am so excited about our new location because we get to hire more people with disabilities.”
That Chestnut St. location will be open Monday through Friday from 7 am to 3 pm. Follow them on Facebook HERE.
To read other blogs in our “Doing Good Things Series,” click here!
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