Coming to the community in January 2025 is another locally owned and locally supportive café — Charlie's Place. Setting up shop in Beyond Boundaries' new space in West Fargo, Charlie's Place will function as a coffee shop as well as a mission-driven Community Space.
This unique café is part of a larger nonprofit called Art & Soul, founded in 2020. The goal of Charlie's Place is to give adults with cognitive challenges the opportunity to showcase their talents and gain meaningful employment.
The coffee shop will employ individuals with cognitive challenges, providing them with training in various aspects of running a café. From making coffees, teas, and smoothies to preparing breakfast sandwiches, soups, and baked goods, employees will learn hard and soft skills in a supportive environment. Aided by staff on hand as needed, the Charlie's Place crew will feel confident in their roles.
The idea for Charlie's Place came from Founder Val Olson's experience with her son, Charlie, who has Down Syndrome. Inspired by other communities offering creative outlets to adults with challenges, Val wanted to bring a similar experience to Fargo-Moorhead. The café offers not only job training but also a welcoming space where individuals can feel a sense of belonging and self-worth.
With plans to sell art created by its employees and offer art classes in the future, Charlie's Place is truly the embodiment of "more than just a coffee shop" — it's a space for creativity, connection, and growth!"
Art & Soul is a nonprofit organization in West Fargo dedicated to supporting adults with disabilities by providing creative outlets and building a sense of community. Through activities like art classes, yoga, and dance, they build confidence and social engagement!
Fargo Monthly
Spotlight Media
September 2024
This article was originally published in Spotlight Media's Fargo Monthly' September 2024 Issue.
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