Meet Virginia Fischer of HUDSONVILLE

Today we’d like to introduce you to Virginia Fischer.

Hi Virginia, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Over the years as I was raising my daughter Maggie, who has Down syndrome, I’d heard of cafés and restaurants popping up that are designed to support/employ people with Intellectual and Development Disabilities (IDD). The unemployment rate for people with IDD is about 75%. As my daughter was heading into adulthood, I realized that this statistic was not for us!! A few years after mentioning this concept to friends, they approached me and asked if our family would like to be involved in opening a coffee shop with them, providing meaningful employment to people with disabilities. Of course we said YES, and that is how Maggie’s Be Café came to be. We are still going strong, getting ready to celebrate our 4th year of bringing joy and happiness with a cup of coffee!
Our mission statement nicely sums up what we do:

Maggie’s Be Cafe is more than just another cup of coffee. It is acceptance, it is love, it is change, and it is embracing the abilities of an incredible group of human beings. We are built upon the foundation of inclusivity, kindness, and opportunity. Our mission is to offer employment to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in a positive and uplifting environment. We curate a workplace environment that bridges the gap between individuals with disabilities and those without, because we are more alike than we are different. As a 501(c)(3), we strive to give our “be-ristas” an opportunity to understand and embrace their value, talents, and importance. It is coffee with a purpose.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As with any non-profit, funding can be a struggle. We have fund-raised by holding concerts, golf outings and are currently gearing up for our 2nd Annual Dinner/Auction, In our 2nd year, we opened an event space adjacent to the cafe, that can be rented for parties or business meetings. This endeavor has been successful in helping with funding.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Our owner has a background in owning other businesses, so this knowledge and experience has helped pave the way for “Maggie’s” success.
Our owner’s wife took on the day-to-day role as manager for the first 2 years, and now we have hired a new manager to fill this role.
My husband is our “maintenance” guy. He’s very skilled at “fixing things”.
My role (as well as those listed above) is a board member, I plan and staff off-site events, and assist in fundraising.
There are others in the business world on our board as well that help in various aspects, such as technology and fundraising.
I don’t believe that any of us are “set apart from others”. It is truly a team effort.

What matters most to you? Why?
Spreading the word about this amazing cafe (made amazing by our employees) and being able to raise the funds necessary to continue our mission. My daughter, as well as her co-workers have truly found a home at “Maggie’s”

Contact Info:

• Website: https://maggiesbecafe.com
• Instagram: maggiesbecafe
• Facebook: Maggie’s Be Cafe