A Cup of Coffee Changing Lives

The Java Joy coffee cart and trailer sit on the campus of Montessori School of Rome, Georgia, awaiting the arrival of customers.  Students, faculty and staff line the sidewalks waiting their turn to receive a coffee or hot chocolate that will kiss their lips, filling them with warmth on a dreary winter afternoon.  The Joyristas, or baristas, pour the piping liquid into the cups and happily hand them to the customers.

 Shannon Alley, the coordinator for Java Joy Rome, dashes between trailer and cart, making sure supplies are stocked and employees are running things smoothly.  At first glance, this might look like a normal coffee pop up shop, but these cups of coffee are changing lives.   

Java Joy is a coffee cart that hires only disabled adults to provide vocational training along with social interaction.  “People with disabilities aren’t treated the same as people without disabilities, Java Joy celebrates that.  It makes them unique and special,” Alley said.

Java Joy was brought to the city of Rome when the couple Gaines and Amy Dempsey saw the impact it was making at its location in Athens, Georgia.  The Dempsey’s decided to become what’s called the “champion family” for Java Joy Rome, wanting to bring the same impact they saw in Athens home.

Dempsey has a daughter with a disability and shared how his experience in the disabled community was lonely.  Before Java Joy, there was little to no representation.  “Without Shannon, we would not be where we are now,” Dempsey said.

Being the champion family, the Dempsey’s were responsible for the fundraising to get Java Joy to open a location in Rome, along with helping network and spread awareness of the business.

 Alley has taken this coffee cart to a level that wasn’t even imaginable to Dempsey, especially in the middle of a pandemic.  “If she can make this work from Rome from nothing in the middle of a pandemic, she’s going to be able to write her ticket in this line of work,” Dempsey said, “I hope she stays with us for the next 30 years.”

Alley has lived in Georgia her whole life.  She grew up in Dahlonega, a small town just an hour outside of Atlanta.  This provided the perfect escape when needed from the small-town life, she laughed.  Without any prior exposure with the disabled community, she found herself working at a local summer camp from 2014-2015.   

Camp Glisson provided a summer camp for people of all ages with disabilities called Sparrowwood.  “I fell in love with how joyful and happy and [that] there's no filter.  I fell in love with that population,” Alley said.

 When college rolled around, Alley chose to go to The University of Georgia.  While she attended, she volunteered at an after-school program called ‘Extra Special People’.  “It was from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and I did that for two years.  [I] loved the mission, loved what they did,” she said.   

Even after graduating and getting a job in hospitality and sales, the thought of Extra Special People and Java Joy stuck with her like glue.  She began looking for a new job and reached out to ESP to see if there was any possibility they had an opening.

 “Funny enough they were looking to fill the Rome city coordinator job, so it kinda just fell into place and things worked out pretty naturally,” she recalled.  September 2020, Alley began her new job helping build Java Joy Rome from the ground up.

Today, 20 employees work with Java Joy.  The cart is hired to work events and they will also hold neighborhood popups.  These adults get the opportunity to interact with the customers while serving them or working the table where t-shirts are sold.

Alley thinks back to the numerous memories from working with these individuals, many that fill her heart with warmth.  “At the Montessori event, one of our Joyristas Jacob was interacting with a customer.  She asked him if he liked working for Java Joy, and Jacob said immediately ‘Oh of course, I get paid to be happy.” 

The conversation slipped into Alley’s ear as she was hustling to get things done, and she took a minute to pause and take that in.  “This is why we do what we do.  We are making a difference,” she said.

Lauren Brewster, a member of the Rome community, knows Alley through the work she does with Java Joy.  “Shannon is one of the kindest people I have ever met. She has made it her life’s work to enrich the lives of young adults with special needs,” Brewster said.   

Even when she’s not working, Alley makes sure that these people are still seen.  Dempsey’s daughter has a big heart for Alley and loves spending time with her.  “Shannon will randomly call her up and see if she wants to go get ice cream,” Dempsey said, “it makes her feel special.” 

Brewster’s experienced a few of Java Joy’s events herself, “The point of the event is to spread kindness to the community and to teach the Java Joy employees work skills. There are smiles on everyone’s faces at Java Joy events!”   

These adults partaking in Java Joy are growing as people and becoming more sure of themselves all under the leadership of Alley.  The many jobs that they are given, from working the cart, to cleanup and stocking t-shirts are meant to help grow their confidence.  “Overall, we have seen a huge increase in our Joyrista’s confidence and ability to engage and interact with customers,” Alley said.

One Joyrista, Thomas, on his first shift was extremely shy, and it took Alley about 20 minutes to make him feel comfortable enough to take people’s orders.  “We were worried that he wouldn’t enjoy the job.”

Less than a month later, Thomas was eager to work at the cart, taking orders and talking to customers about sports.  He’s a big Alabama fan, giving plenty of room for conversation on the topic with any of the customers.  “He has completely opened up.  He gets aggravated if I don’t put him at the cart because he just loves interacting with people,” Alley shared with a laugh. 

“She is motivated, but she also has a kind heart,” Dempsey said, and that can be seen every day when Alley takes the mission of Java Joy to heart.  Alley continues to work as the Rome city coordinator, making sure that this population is both seen and heard, all while they learn valuable skills under her leadership.