Coffee Shop Changing the World 

Image of the founders of the Bitty & Beau's coffee shop franchise with their 4 children (3 of the children have an IDD). The family is standing in one of their shops smiling. 

A New Mission in Town 

Bitty & Beau's is a fairly recent coffee shop franchise with a unique vision and mission for its business. Their motto, "It's more than a cup of coffee", is embodied in each and every one of their coffee shop locations. The company was created with the intention to combat the unfortunate statistic that 80% of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities are unemployed in the US. Upon opening their first shop in 2016, Bitty & Beau's was able to employ 19 individuals with an IDD! Today, they have expanded to now have 19 shops across the country and have created over 400 employment opportunities with individuals with an IDD. 

Image of an employee with an IDD of Bitty & Beau's coffee shop smiling in front of the store with his arms raised

The Impact 

Bitty & Beau's is a business that is all about spreading inclusion. Their coffee shops not only employ individuals with an IDD, but also spread awareness to the rest of their customers. They bring to each community a new level of advocacy. Their mission is very closely aligned with our very own mission here at Best Buddies. Here are some words shared on their website and on the walls of their coffee shops: 

Words from the Bitty & Beau's website "A human rights movement disguised as a coffee shop. Changing the way people accept other people" 

0

Acceptance, inclusion, diversity. Beautiful words and values that everyone should try to spread to their friends, family, and community. Making change one iced coffee at a time, Bitty & Beau's is a true inspiration within the IDD community and their beautiful story should continue to be shared. 

In Friendship, 

Maya Ali