Having two children with Down Syndrome, Amy Wright was inspired to open Beau's Coffee in Wilmington, N.C., as a way to create jobs for people with Intellectual and Development Disabilities (IDD). Only about 30 percent of adults with IDD are employed. Wright wanted to create an opportunity for these individuals to contribute to the community, and to show their value and potential.
“The takeaway…is maybe we’ve changed one heart or one mind," Wright said. "We’ve given somebody some new perspective, and...maybe they’re going to go back and try to figure out a way that they can integrate someone with a disability into the workforce.”