Council approves Project Friends training café license after state OK

The Coventry Town Council voted unanimously to grant a victualling license to Project Friends so the nonprofit can open a training‑focused café called Brewed by Friends.

Director Robillard introduced the item and said the Department of Health has already approved the operation. A Project Friends representative, who identified herself as the town’s director of human services, described the café as both a public coffee shop and a hands‑on workplace training program. She said the initiative will partner with the Office of Rehabilitative Services, supported employment specialists and the local school district’s transition and special‑education programs to provide real‑world job training for people ages 14–22 preparing to enter adult services.

Councilmembers praised the program’s employment and community benefits and noted the ribbon cutting earlier in the week. A motion to approve the victualling license passed after a second and a brief public exchange; the council signaled support for a soft opening before a full public launch.

The approval means Project Friends may complete remaining local requirements and open Brewed by Friends to the public. The council did not attach additional conditions to the license at the meeting.

The next procedural step is for the applicant to finalize local paperwork and satisfy any outstanding health‑inspector items; no vote was required beyond the approval granted at the meeting.