Our friends in Haiti have arrived at an exciting moment in their dream of opening a lunch-bar for the staff of St. Vincent's Ctr.! The outdoor dining room has been painted; the tables & chairs have been commissioned (made by a local carpenter and an iron-worker); and the chef has menus in mind. This lunch-bar, called the BarResto, will not only allow staff to eat a good meal, it will also give a modest income to the adult residents. Best of all, it will give vocational ed. to senior students!
Children with disabilities who grow up as residents of St. Vincent's Center receive a good education, but there are very few options to enter employment after graduation. Fourteen adults with disabilities who grew up together at St. Vincent's have joined together with three objectives: operate a restaurant together to earn an income; provide real-life vocational training for younger graduates facing this problem; and move out of the children's dorms and into a shared lodging.
The dream is coming true! The director of St. Vincent's has endorsed the first step: opening a restaurant on the school campus where staff members can buy a hot lunch. One of the adults has completed cooking school. The restaurant has been built and the stove is installed. When the restaurant is open, the adults will generate a modest income stream and senior students of St. Vincent's will start their vocational training. Furniture, cooking pots, and serving plates are needed now!
This project enables graduates to counter negative stereotypes by becoming viable wage-earners with certifiable knowledge and skills. They will serve as positive role models/leaders/change agents for other blind/deaf/disabled community members. By witnessing these individuals thriving and contributing to their own communities, the greater Haitian population will, in time, acknowledge their value and worth. Negative stereotypes will decrease, opening up opportunities for all challenged citizens.
