Polly’s Story: Promoting Work Independence
It’s undeniable that individuals with disabilities face more significant challenges in finding and retaining employment. These challenges can hinder their success in securing a preferred job, whether physical or mental. Employers may fail to recognize the unique strengths and abilities that these individuals bring to the table.
However, recent data from the U.S. Department of Labor (2023) offers a glimmer of hope. It reveals that around 9.5 percent of individuals with disabilities are self-employed business owners, a rate significantly higher than the 6.1 percent among people without disabilities. This suggests that individuals with disabilities are more likely to embrace entrepreneurship, creating their own opportunities rather than relying on traditional employment.
So, when and how should families start exploring entrepreneurship opportunities for their children?
Caroline De Vega, a dedicated mother, actively supports the independence of her daughter Polly and other local youth by providing hands-on job training through Polly’s Café, which she runs out of her garage in San Lorenzo. This unique initiative offers valuable work experience while fostering entrepreneurial skills and helping young people gain confidence and independence in a real-world setting.
“It was actually Polly who inspired me to start this endeavor,” De Vega said. “Polly has a genetic condition called DiGeorge syndrome, as well as a diagnosis of Autism and a sensory-processing disorder in her early years and a diagnosis of epilepsy in her teen years. She uses a non-verbal form of communication through her AAC device. These circumstances can make it daunting to think about the future, but Polly's Café is all about meeting individuals where they are.”
De Vega added that Polly can easily navigate the workstation by providing a structured environment. Polly knows what she can and cannot do and how much she can handle, and she has access to her sensory/self-regulation tools when needed.
More than just the basic skills of taking orders using the AAC device, making simple coffee using the Keurig machine, restocking supplies, and cleaning and organizing workstations, De Vega says Polly can focus on character building. Core values such as patience in learning how to operate a machine, perseverance in finishing a task, respect towards peer workers, and prioritizing commitment to work are at the core of this endeavor, hence our tagline: “Serving Ordinary Coffee with an Extraordinary Heart.”
De Vega advises following your child's lead. She says Polly created the menu using her AAC device, and she picked her logo out of the three samples that De Vega created.
“Her ‘voice’ matters to me, and she definitely knows that her main purpose is to serve her community,” De Vega says.
Also, De Vega adds that you cannot do it alone. Bring your closest friends in and collaborate. Work on their strengths and build them up as well.
In the future, De Vega hopes to provide an after-school or adult day program. She and Polly plan to continue their pop-up booths at local community events, partner with a local restaurant to hold Autism Awareness and Acceptance events and host holiday events. Already, the family has featured young bakers like Haley's Delights and plans to continue including more of Polly’s peers.
“Our dream is big—perhaps a food truck or an actual space for Polly's Café? Why not?!” De Vega says.
