321 Coffee Storefront: Help us take this next step

321 Coffee is a nonprofit coffee shop that provides meaningful work experiences to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The organization currently employs 21 adults with IDD and operates out of the State Farmers Market Thursday - Sunday. We've received a ton of support for what we are doing, and we believe we're ready for our next step: a storefront!

321 Coffee has seen tremendous growth over the past two years. We started off as a conversation over lunch between a couple of freshmen NC State students with the idea of opening a coffee shop staffed by individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). With support from the local community, we raised enough money to get started, and we've grown steadily from that moment forward. We weren’t ready for a storefront at that time, but we've built the organization from the ground up to a point that we are ready for our next step.

For the first year of operations, 321 Coffee served at different events throughout the Raleigh area. We spread our name and mission and grew quite a following. That community support encouraged the team to continue pushing the limits and open at the State Farmers Market in Raleigh.

321 Coffee currently operates over twenty hours a week and employs twenty-one individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities! This team is a diverse and talented group whose strengths complement one another.Our time at the farmers market has demonstrated:
    - There is a need for the opportunities 321 Coffee is providing.
    - There is community support rallying behind the mission.
    - We have established proficiency in operations.
    - Our business model has financial sustainability.

All of this shows us that we're ready to take this next step and establish a 321 Coffee storefront.

Donations will help create a self-sustaining storefront for 321 Coffee that will provide meaningful work experiences to individuals with IDD year after year. Our work opportunities will provide these individuals a unique community and transferrable skills to bring beyond 321 Coffee. 321 Coffee's storefront will be a destination for friends and families to make memories over a cup of coffee. It will incorporate unique offerings that foster a sense of community. With a storefront, we can increase our work offerings to these individuals by over 400%!

We're ready to take this step, but we need your support in order to do so!