News Release
For Immediate Release: April 2, 2009
Collaboration Brings Jobs for People with
Disabilities
(CLEVELAND)
April 2, 2009 – New jobs
for people with disabilities are making
their way to Cleveland this spring.
Hattie Larlham, a
nonprofit organization that provides services
to people with disabilities, and the Cuyahoga
County Board of MR/DD have teamed up to
open Hattie’s Café Express.
“We’re
absolutely thrilled about the partnership
we were able to forge,” Dotty Grexa,
Hattie Larlham executive director, said.
The café is
an offshoot of the popular Hattie’s
Café and Gifts in Hudson and Akron,
Ohio, which are operated by Hattie Larlham.
The newest addition opened Monday, March
30.
Three people with
disabilities are employed in the café,
which is located in the Cuyahoga County
Board of MR/DD downtown offices. Employees
work with job coaches serving up food, ringing
out customers and helping with shipments.
“In these economic
times it’s tough for anyone to find
employment,” said Terrence M. Ryan,
Ph.D., Cuyahoga County Board of MR/DD superintendent.
“Hattie’s Café Express
is going to open new doors and provide great
opportunities for people with disabilities.”
The shop is open five days a week, serving
brown bag lunches, milkshakes and ice cream
to Cuyahoga County Board of MR/DD employees
and visitors.
“We have plans to eventually expand
to cater lunches and meetings for downtown
businesses,” Grexa said. “But
right now our focus in on providing a quality
product.”
Grexa said the café seats up to 48
people and she expects to serve 50 meals
during the lunch rush.
For more information,
visit www.hattielarlham.org
or www.ccbmrdd.org.
About Hattie Larlham
Established in 1961,
Hattie Larlham is a Mantua, Ohio, nonprofit
organization that provides services throughout
the state to 1,500 children and adults with
mental retardation and developmental disabilities.
Hattie Larlham was one of the top 99 Northeast
Ohio organizations to work for in 2008.
For more information, visit www.hattielarlham.org.
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Contact
Bill
Wahl, Communications
and Media Relations
Coordinator
phone: 330.274.2272, ext. 3011
e-mail: bill.wahl@hattielarlham.org
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