Employment and socialization are important to everyone. Experiencing them can be challenging for people living with a developmental disability
Since opening in June of 2011, COCO Cafe has become a bustling community hub that truly is “Where friends meet”. The COCO (Cedar Opportunities Co-Operative) mission is to employ people with developmental disabilities within their community.
COCO was founded by a group of families in the Cedar/Yellowpoint/Cassidy areas of Nanaimo, British Columbia, all of whom have adult children with developmental disabilities. The families began meeting in 2007 to explore the idea of creating employment opportunities for people with developmental disabilities within their community. During the initial stages of planning it was decided that, not only would a cafe be a welcome addition to the community, it would also be able to provide a range of different employment opportunities for persons with developmental disabilities in a manner that increases their visibility and integrates them into the community.
COCO received the Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce Achievement Award in the category “Emerging Business (3-5 Years)” on February 24, 2014. In late 2013, the co-operative received a $25,000 windfall after it won the Co-operators National Co-op Challenge. The café used the funds to develop a vibrant catering business. There’s also a kid’s menu, free wireless internet, vegetarian options and, in the fine weather, a dog-friendly outdoor patio area.
We speak with Chris Badger, COCO’s board chair, in a People First Radio interview from March 2014.
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COCO Cafe on Shaw T.V. Nanaimo (January 11, 2012)
