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Cafe 9 opens in Town of Westborough with jobs and training for people with disabilities
Summary
Cafe 9 opened in the Town of Westborough as a community cafe staffed in part by participants from MAB Community Services; state and local officials presented citations and town officials praised the project's contribution to workforce development and walkable neighborhood amenities.
Cafe 9 held a grand-opening celebration in the Town of Westborough, where state and local officials and community partners highlighted the cafe's role in providing job training and employment for people with disabilities. The event included citations from the Massachusetts Senate and House and remarks from town economic-development staff.
Karen Chef, identified in the event as president of the 495 Regional Chamber, opened the ceremony and introduced guests and speakers. Dorine, representing Senator Michael Moore's office, delivered a Senate citation and said the senator sends his regrets for missing the ceremony; Dorine also noted a personal connection, describing assistance given to a stepson with a traumatic brain injury and offering the senator's “best wishes for continued success.”
Representative Ku offered greetings on behalf of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and presented a House citation recognizing Cafe 9’s new location in Westborough. Local town officials — Laura Clark, the town’s economic-development coordinator, and Fred Rosano, the community-development director — joined the ceremony and praised the cafe as a walkable food option that adds office and meeting space to the area.
Anastasia, representing MAB Community Services, said the cafe is the culmination of the agency’s work providing group homes, employment services and education. "We are completely flipping the narrative and telling them all the things that they can do," Anastasia said, describing the program’s emphasis on skills and confidence. She said about a dozen participants currently work in the kitchen, are taking ServeSafe classes adapted to their needs, and will sit for certification tests so they can pursue jobs in other businesses.
Anastasia described the cafe as available for catering and mobile orders and urged local employers to consider hiring program participants once they are certified. Event speakers emphasized the partnership between the nonprofit operator and town economic-development efforts, framing the cafe as both a social-enterprise training site and a neighborhood amenity.
The ceremony ended with a brief countdown to the ribbon-cutting and a photo opportunity. Organizers said the cafe is open to the public and encouraged local businesses and residents to support catering and employment opportunities for program participants.
