Kenzie's Be Cafe calling on the community for help

The Grand Haven spot hopes the community will continue to support its mission of helping people with disabilities find employment.

WZZM13.com - Kenzie’s Be Café is asking the Grand Haven community for support with keeping their shop open.

The nonprofit recently began closing at 2:30 p.m. instead of 3:30 p.m. on weekdays. Leaders said the change was necessary to adjust to financial changes.

Unlike a traditional coffee shop, Kenzie’s Be Café prioritizes workplace training for those with disabilities. The shop’s leaders say community support goes hand in hand with their mission. 

“It really means so much more than a cup of coffee,” Executive Director Erin Lyon said. “We’re working with employees on eye contact, communication, multitasking, time management, all of these goals that set them up for future success in the workplace.”

Café leaders say the café cannot survive on coffee sales alone, which is why they're searching for more support. 

“What we’re looking for is we want more people to come into the café and see what it’s all about,” Clara Thelen, a job coach at the café, said. “When people are here, you really get to see the joy in this place. Oftentimes, that’s when you become a regular.”

Since opening, Kenzie’s has helped employees with disabilities build skills that have led to other opportunities in the community. Lyon said that experience is at the heart of their mission.

“We don’t want everyone who’s working here to work here forever,” Lyon said. “Being able to provide job training so they can hopefully go work somewhere else in the community — that’s the goal.”

Despite financial challenges, leaders emphasized gratitude for those who continue to support the café through purchases and sponsorships.

“We just want people to understand the good work that’s going on in here and how important it truly is,” Lyon said. “These are opportunities that wouldn’t be given otherwise, and we’ve seen time and again how much of a difference it makes.”

To learn more about the cafe’s need for financial support, visit here.