“What makes us different, makes us great.”
That’s the slogan at Lil E Coffee Café, Toronto’s one-of-a-kind coffee shop that brews a whole lot more than coffee. Located at 2 St. Clair Avenue (on the northwest corner on Yonge Street), Lil E Coffee Café, is bringing change to the workplace by providing employment opportunities to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Named after the founder’s six-year-old daughter Ella who lives with Downs Syndrome, the small shop is the second Lil E location, following the 2021 opening of the inaugural location in Calgary.
“I know how much of a need there is for inclusive workplaces that cater to individuals with special needs,” says Serena Curtis, one of the general managers of Lil E. Coffee’s Toronto location. “It definitely speaks to what I believe in the world and what needs to be done.”
Curtis, who has experience working with young adults with developments disabilities and coaching at the Special Olympics, joined the Lil E team early in the year, helping the Toronto location come to fruition before its opening in the summer. The initiative is one Curtis holds dear to her heart as she has a brother with special needs who is entering young adulthood and the workforce. She knows firsthand just how unfairly advantaged it is for those living with a developmental disability.Â
“A lot of the work for this population, it’s for the attention. A lot of people will hire to fit some quota, but then they won’t really invest in wanting to keep that person around.” says Curtis, adding that all of the 15 employees at the cafĂ© have a similar story of only being able to find unpaid volunteer work. “I think all of our staff can speak to facing barriers in the workplace.”
According to Inclusion Canada, only 25 per cent of working-age individuals with intellectual disabilities across the country are employed.
That’s why Lil E Coffee is so much more than just a café. Run as a non-profit with a Board of Directors, Lil E Coffee only hires those without proper paid work experience, and it takes them on an 18-to-24-month-long program where they develop the skills necessary to move on to more permanent work.
“We have goals and learning plans that we’re all working towards,” says Curtis. “The goal is for the staff to gain skill and experience to then be able to move onto more permanent employment, and we connect our staff with those permanent employers.”
At the end of the program, Lil E will work with the individuals to try finding employment in their specific field of interest. In addition to creating a more inclusive community, Lil E’s goal is to have 10,000 graduates of the program.
With added support necessary in the workplace, Lil E has various toolkits and adaptions that assist the staff throughout their work day, including visual descriptions of each of the drinks, timers for breaks, and emotion regulation check-ins.
“We’re showing our staff that we’re here to help them develop their life skills as well as their work skills,” explains Curtis, adding that the expectations for staff are still the same as any other café, like showing up on time. “Being firm on those expectations is to help them in further employment.”
With just a few seats in the shop — which looks just as inviting as the cafĂ©’s values with bright walls and vibrant blue accents — Lil E focuses on take-out and grab-and-go items, and is also available for catering. Lattes, cappuccinos and all other coffee items use a Calgary-based roaster, Rosso Coffee Roasters, introducing Toronto to a brand-new taste not found elsewhere in the city.
Lil E is spreading holiday cheer with their new festive drink menu! In addition to their regular hot drinks, featuring specialties like the sweet honey latte, they’ve added some seasonal delights. Until the end of December, treat yourself to an egg nog latte, peppermint mocha, or caramel apple latte.
To pair with the festive hot drinks, Lil E has a selection of baked goods including cookies, loaf slices, scones and butter tarts which are delivered fresh daily from North York’s Circles and Squares Bakery Café. While some flavours are almost always in stock like the lemon and cranberry scones and banana chocolate chip loaf, Lil E also features seasonal specials. Currently holiday flavours include the gingerbread scone and iced gingerbread loaf slice.
The café also offers a few baked goods from Tori’s Bakeshop, pressed juices and smoothies from Village Juicery and logo-stamped shortbread cookies come from Lemon and Allspice Cooker — another social enterprise with baking and catering led by individuals with developmental disabilities. As for heftier grab-n-go items, Lil E stocks sandwiches, salads and breakfast bowls from Feast by Circles and Squares.
“Everything is Toronto-based,” says Curtis. “We thought it was really important to support the community and listen to the community around us.”
Lil E Coffee Café is open at 2 St. Clair Avenue West from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday.
