Christy’s Corner seeking ‘special person’ to manage café

         Since opening in 2019, Christy’s Corner Café – located at 368 Rice St. in Elmore – has been offering coffee and beverages, pastries, breakfast items, salads, sandwiches, soups and other menu items to the community.
        The café, named after owner Kathy Barbee’s sister, Christy Bosch, who was born with Down syndrome, also works to provide opportunities for teens and adults with special needs – just like others provided for Christy.
        Despite her disability, Christy was able to live life to the fullest thanks to the support and encouragement of others.
        While Christy passed away in 2011, the café and its non-profit arm – Engaging Opportunities Foundation – works to carry out the legacy she left.
        “Christy was full of life and never let any obstacle keep her from doing what she loved, and that’s what the café aims to do each and every day,” Barbee said. “All of our employees are family. We celebrate our differences because that’s what makes each of us uniquely us.”
        Individuals with special needs who are employed by Christy’s are referred to as “clients.” And it takes a special person to serve as the café manager – which Barbee has been struggling to find since the pandemic.
        The manager not only oversees the day-to-day operations of the café but also has to have the ability to recognize and understand the diverse employee base and that the learning needs of clients can be different, she said. The manager – in partnership with the job coach – works to tailor training and job responsibilities to meet the needs of the clients goals.
        “We know it will take a special person to join us in managing the café,” Barbee said. “Christy’s truly is a wonderful place and our employees really are the heart of it. We are also so fortunate to have amazing support by our local communities, which gives us hope that the right person will be called to join our team.”
        For more information on the Café manager position, visit christycornercafe.com and click on the “applications’ tab.