Rise Up Cafe

Rise Up Cafe was an amazing coffee and ice cream shop staffed by individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We provided secure, successful jobs which in turn helped our employees form meaningful friendships with their peers; live independently; improve their public speaking, develop self-advocacy and communication skills; and feel valued and included by society. We celebrate and honor their special abilities. In addition, we had classrooms, dedicated jobs coaches, and a cool virtual reality coffee and ice cream shop training system to help prepare our friends with disabilities to work in the shop as well as for other businesses in the Sarasota, Florida area.

Beaver Shriver of The Shriver Group was the driving force behind Rise Up Cafe. He partnered with two local nonprofits, The Haven and Easterseals to help with job skills training and staff transportation.

Learn more about The Haven and Easterseals and the important services they provide for hundreds special needs individuals every day.

Beaver has founded and chairs another 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Inclusion Revolution, to help fund this location and future Rise Up Cafes. Please consider a donation to help further the mission.