© 2024 All Rights reserved WUSF
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Because it’s strange and beautiful and hot, people from everywhere converge on Florida and they bring their cuisine and their traditions with them. The Zest celebrates the intersection of food and communities in the Sunshine State.

Coffee Uniting People brews job skills for people with disabilities

Co-founders Greg and Laura Jones, along with barista Katie Huettel, explain why CUP's mission is a win-win for the entire community.

Listen to the episode

It seems like there’s a coffee shop on every block, and they all offer more or less the same stuff. But one coffee company in Tampa is serving up much more than lattes and muffins.

Coffee Uniting People, or CUP, is a nonprofit coffeehouse that employs mostly people with disabilities. With three locations in Tampa, CUP teaches valuable life skills to folks who are too often overlooked for employment.

Dalia chatted with CUP barista Katie Huettel, 26, along with CUP co-founders Greg and Laura Jones. In this conversation, the Joneses share why they started CUP and advice for business owners looking to hire and support employees with disabilities. Katie also explains how the skills she’s learning at CUP translate to the rest of her life. And the three of them share their favorite beverages and foods from the CUP menu.

"I host a food podcast" is a great icebreaker at parties.
You Count on Us, We Count on You: Donate to WUSF to support free, accessible journalism for yourself and the community.