Buddies at the Central Mississippi Down Syndrome Society (CMDSS) have a new opportunity to gain work experience and life skills through a partnership with a local coffee roaster, Two Bros Roasting.
The partnership will allow adults with Down syndrome who are a part of CMDSS programming, Buddies, to bag coffee for Two Bros Roasting with the goal of improving their lives by providing them with the skills and support they need to lead productive, active and independent lives. Buddy Blend Coffee will also give Buddies the opportunity to feel invested in their building and community.
One of the challenges that prevent adults with Down syndrome from fully participating in society is a lack of job skills, which are essential for them to become more independent and self-reliant by making their own money. CMDSS Executive Director Jenny Babl said by working together to package Buddy Blend Coffee, Buddies will practice essential life skills and job skills such as following steps in a process, measuring the weight of items, scooping and pouring, using simple machines, communicating with team members and much more.
“One of the goals of this program is to teach those skills for any individual, regardless of their abilities, to have the opportunity to work,” Babl said. “Further down the road, we plan to partner with local businesses to help secure permanent employment.”
Currently, seven Buddies are participating in the program weekly.
“Our goal is to keep the numbers low enough to give each individual with Down syndrome a volunteer they are partnered with for the duration of the program,” Babl said. “That way, beyond the skills they are learning, they are building relationships with these volunteers and the volunteers tend to get more out of the project as well.”
While Babl said they are learning as they go, they are thrilled to have received a few bulk orders from the community, and they have been working hard to fill those.
“Right now, we are averaging about five to seven bags per buddy, per night, but our participants are getting faster each week,” Babl said. “For us, this is about taking the time to grow and develop these individuals and ensure they are included in every step of the process. For now, it’s more about the journey than the destination.”
Currently, Buddy Blend Coffee is offering 12 oz bags of ground coffee, and they are working on offering a smaller bag option for the holidays in addition to offering whole beans. Each bag is packed, sealed and signed by one of the Buddies.
“The coffee is really, really good,” Babl said. “We’ve also seen such an amazing response from our parents about this program. They are excited about the future. At the Buddy Center, we want to make sure we are offering every program and service someone with Down syndrome may need. This program is one more building block in executing our mission and vision within our community.”
Babl said they are so grateful for Two Bros and the opportunity they have given them with this partnership.
“They are very hands-on and we rely on their expertise to be efficient with coffee, and they are hopefully learning a few things from our Buddies,” Babl said. “Our future partnership will include additional bag sizes, k-cups and more. We are also looking forward to being able to ship our product in the near future. Not only will that allow for a greater product reach, but will give us an opportunity to teach another skill.”
Babl said both Two Bros and the Buddy Center are growing quickly and adapting to what the partnership means for both of them.
Most importantly, the Buddies are excited to learn something new while feeling vested in their building.
“I’m excited about where this project will grow and the impact we can have on both better equipping adults with Down syndrome with job skills and producing something for the community where they can learn about and support us,” Babl said. “I’m always excited for an opportunity for the community to be involved in who we are and see the capabilities of these adults.”
Buddy Blend Coffee is available for purchase at the CMDSS Buddy Center at 667 US 51 Suite C in Ridgeland. The cost of a bag is $20 and goes directly to support free programs for individuals with Down syndrome at the Buddy Center. Holiday orders are currently being accepted. The community can donate to the Buddy Blend project or purchase an item off of their wishlist to help with supplies. For more information, email buddyblend@cmdss.org, call 601.385.DOWN (3696) or visit www.cmdss.org/buddy-blend-coffee/
