As a Specialized Mentor of Community Supports, Jeffrey was looking for new collaborations and places to bring the groups. MOKA has a snack day, so he talked to The Coffee Factory owner Sarah Sass about hosting them on occasion. The groups gather at the downtown Muskegon coffee shop to share a snack, conversation, and community. Spearheaded by Jeffrey last fall, the meetups have been a hit with people in the groups, employees, and customers.
“It took off like fire,” Jeffrey says. “They build relationships with people, like with Sarah.”
Nicholas and Keith like mixing the ingredients. Nicholas brings apples and eggs from his family’s farm to the owner. They all enjoy eating the sweet treats: apple crisp, cookies, and pumpkin pie. Lisa likes the camaraderie and being treated with dignity and respect.
“I like the people at MOKA,” Lisa says. “I enjoyed the Valentine’s Day cookies. They were really good.”
Sarah welcomed the idea, saying she has a bunch of new friends and customers enjoy talking with them. She makes it interactive by having them measure out and mix the ingredients. They work together and use their creativity and imagination!