YORK, S.C. — In York, South Carolina, there's a coffee shop that's serving up proof that those with disabilities have the ability to do whatever they set their minds to doing.
You can smell the aroma of fresh roasted coffee beans the moment you step inside York Coffee Roastery.
The shop is located just a few blocks outside of downtown. Customers come to grab a cup of joe and stay awhile, while others take it to go.
Regardless, each drink is made by students and adults with disabilities who are on a mission to learn skills for the workforce.
"You can find there's a lot more commonalities than differences," Michelle Shaffer, the executive director of MaxAbilities (formerly York County Board of Disabilities and Special Needs), said.
"Anytime somebody feels empowered to do a job and to do it well, it gives them confidence," she added.
The nonprofit owns the coffee shop, hiring students from area public schools and adults with disabilities.
"We bring them in and we start working on job skills," Shaffer said.
The program serves as a needed bridge between high school and a career for those with disabilities, honing in on their strengths while fine-tuning skills needed to succeed in the workforce.
"I've been doing this for about a couple months," one worker, Rachel, said.
She and her co-worker, Braden, who were there when WCNC Charlotte paid a visit, work at the coffee shop a few hours a week.
"I really enjoy helping out my community," Rachel said.
She wants to attend college and has aspirations to become a vet technician some day. She said she hopes the skills she learns at the coffee shop will push her to get there.
Regular customers, like Jordan Barkin, said the program is certainly making a difference.
"They tell me about the way it's roasted, they tell me about the different flavors," Barkin said. "And so, it's an education for me as a customer. And for them, hopefully, it's the beginning of a career."
The coffee shop is roasting up a fresh cup of joe, in addition to the talented workforce that makes it.
"When you look at what somebody can do, there are endless possibilities," Shaffer said.
If you'd like to support the coffee shop and its cause you can find more information on their website, where you can also order their coffee online.
Contact Hunter Sáenz at hsaenz@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.