Working for Our Community
For individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, hands-on education provides significant benefits. John Paul II Center for Special Learning (JPII) staff understand what a powerful tool it can be when working with students to develop and improve their academic and functional movement from school to post-school activities. Integrated employment as well as supported employment are at the center of these plans and inspired JPII to open its in-house educational kitchen in 2007. Today, JPII is enhancing what our students learn in our in-house educational kitchen by moving it out into the community where they live by opening Special Blends Café by JPII in 2026.
Through a partnership with Alvernia University, the café will be located at the university’s American House location (4th and Penn Street, Reading) in 2026 with the focus to extend our mission and education into the community where nearly half of our students live. There is no other program like this in Berks County where a school program for individuals with special needs takes the classroom into a real, functional setting.
Within the café setting, students will learn all aspects of working in a café, including taking orders, preparing orders, cleaning (running a commercial dishwasher, wiping down tables and work areas), and taking inventory. JPII occupational therapists (OT) and Alvernia OT interns will problem-solve any fine-motor needs that may arise. They can assist with learning and operating the specialized equipment both safely and effectively. They can also create task analysis (steps to success) as needed. The task analysis is a visual step-by-step instruction reference for the students and adults to be safe and independent as possible. Job coaches will prompt and support the students, guiding them to be independent as possible. They will work to help foster independence toward employment outside the café setting. Students can then seek employment beyond the controlled environment into areas closer to their homes.
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