San Francisco Cafe only hires people with mental illness
A good story out of this week's Los Angeles Times, following is an excerpt:
At A San Francisco Cafe, Nearly Every Worker Is Battling A Disorder
For Some, It's A Last Chance To Prove They're Employable.
By John M. Glionna, Times Staff Writer
SAN FRANCISCO -- In the eyes of many employers, Tim Flanders would be damaged goods.
As the lunch rush packs a tiny restaurant here, he stands timidly
behind the cash register, dressed in his red apron, fighting off the doubts that he will ever be able to keep all these orders straight. He avoids eye contact, convinced that every stranger is staring at him, laughing at him, assuming that he's somehow stupid when he knows that he is a very smart person who happens to be mentally ill.
For most of his 33 years, Flanders has suffered from depression. At
times, he has lain frozen in bed. The simple act of showing up for work can trigger a debilitating fright.
And so, to rejoin the job force, he has placed his faith in Cafe
Phoenix, a bustling eatery that opened last month.
At the Phoenix, almost all of the employees battle mental illnesses --from delusions and schizophrenia to bipolar disorder to paranoia.
To say the least, Cafe Phoenix is no ordinary restaurant. Workers
grapple with their problems under the watchful eyes of counselors while dealing with demanding customers, negotiating kitchen politics and juggling the never-ending flow of orders.
Cafe Phoenix is the newest venture by a Bay Area nonprofit called
Hire-Ability, which runs a host of vocational training programs for the mentally ill.
Source: LA Times
Posted by szadmin at November 25, 2005 10:47 PM
More Information on
Schizophrenia Advocacy
I'm glad to hear that this cafe is busy, and people aren't avoiding it because of stigma
Posted by: Lima at November 26, 2005 12:55 PM
I have worked at a cafe for people with mental health problems in Luton, England,
but it is due to close shortly due to lack of funds :-(
Posted by: Francis McDonnell at December 3, 2005 10:38 AM
I think this cafe is a great idea! I think we should have more of them. Not only for people with mental health problems but for anyone who feels cut off from the rest of society. I think we all at some stage in our lives experience loneliness which can be a key factor in leading to many major health problems including depression, diabetes, etc. These can be easily avoided by just some sense of community. I hope the cafe in Luton England and the one in san francisco are supported by their local communities and they stay open. We have got to do something to support them. So keep smiling Francis because it's not the end of the road...it's just the beginning of many new cafe's:)
Posted by: Mariam Nazir at August 4, 2006 08:24 AM
I think this cafe is a great idea! I think we should have more of them. Not only for people with mental health problems but for anyone who feels cut off from the rest of society. I think we all at some stage in our lives experience loneliness which can be a key factor in leading to many major health problems including depression, diabetes, etc. These can be easily avoided by just some sense of community. I hope the cafe in Luton England and the one in San Francisco are supported by their local communities and they stay open. We have got to do something to support them. So keep smiling because it's not the end of the road...it's just the beginning of many new cafe's:)
Posted by: Mariam Nazir at August 6, 2006 02:14 PM
I'm glad to hear that this cafe is busy, and people aren't avoiding it because of stigma
Posted by: Lima at November 26, 2005 12:55 PM
I have worked at a cafe for people with mental health problems in Luton, England,
but it is due to close shortly due to lack of funds :-(
Posted by: Francis McDonnell at December 3, 2005 10:38 AM
I think this cafe is a great idea! I think we should have more of them. Not only for people with mental health problems but for anyone who feels cut off from the rest of society. I think we all at some stage in our lives experience loneliness which can be a key factor in leading to many major health problems including depression, diabetes, etc. These can be easily avoided by just some sense of community. I hope the cafe in Luton England and the one in san francisco are supported by their local communities and they stay open. We have got to do something to support them. So keep smiling Francis because it's not the end of the road...it's just the beginning of many new cafe's:)
Posted by: Mariam Nazir at August 4, 2006 08:24 AM
I think this cafe is a great idea! I think we should have more of them. Not only for people with mental health problems but for anyone who feels cut off from the rest of society. I think we all at some stage in our lives experience loneliness which can be a key factor in leading to many major health problems including depression, diabetes, etc. These can be easily avoided by just some sense of community. I hope the cafe in Luton England and the one in San Francisco are supported by their local communities and they stay open. We have got to do something to support them. So keep smiling because it's not the end of the road...it's just the beginning of many new cafe's:)
Posted by: Mariam Nazir at August 6, 2006 02:14 PM