Hartford Public Library has turned its downtown café into a workforce training ground, partnering with a local nonprofit that employs people with disabilities to run a new coffee shop that is open to the public.
The Kitchen at Futures Inc. opened March 5 at the library’s downtown branch at 500 Main St. The roughly 1,904-square-foot café and event space is the third location for The Kitchen at Futures Inc., a program of Futures Inc., a Hartford-based nonprofit that provides on-the-job training and paid employment for more than 25 people with disabilities and other barriers to employment.
The restaurant serves hot and cold beverages, breakfast and lunch options, grab-and-go items and daily specials.
Hours are Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Hartford Public Library selected The Kitchen at Futures Inc. through a competitive RFP process, according to library President and CEO Bridget E. Quinn, who said the partnership is intended to support the library’s own job training programs.
Pam DonAroma, founder and president and CEO of Futures Inc., said the downtown café reflects the organization’s focus on “access, inclusion, and the belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to learn, work, and belong.”
