MANSFIELD, Ohio–The City Garden Café, located in the Mansfield Municipal Building, isn’t just a café; it’s also a training site. For customers, it’s a café where they can buy fresh soup, sandwiches, salads and desserts. For the staff, it’s a place to gain valuable experience, to be part of a team, and to meet the customers they serve.
The Café is a partnership with the City of Mansfield and Richland Newhope Industries with a mission to hire graduates of Newhope Industries Employment Connection program and prepare them for employment in the community.
Leann Means has been the café manager since November. She manages the staff, makes the schedules, and plans the menu. “We’re going to change some of the sandwiches to try and keep it interesting. There’s a couple of sandwiches on the menu that are definitely customer favorites: the #9 is the smoked ham with bacon and cheddar cheese on a baguette. The #1 is turkey, salami, and ham with provolone cheese on ciabatta. Chicken salad is a big favorite, too,” she said.
Shift Manager Sean Conrad is the only regular employee, hired in January after he graduated from the Newhope program. He has been with the café since it opened in February 2014 and is the first to arrive at the café every morning to get the operation started. The other five staff members are in training for future jobs in the community.
Naomi Humbarger lives at Friendship Manor in Mansfield and she was working in the kitchen on Friday morning. She said she worked at Newhope Industries “doing tubing” before she came to the café, and she said she likes the café better. She reads her list of tasks every day. Friday morning she prepared a house salad, caramelized some onions, and was washing the dishes.
Community Employment Trainer Kelly Parson actually supervises the staff at the café. She or another trainer is on site every day and works to accommodate different individuals’ learning styles.
“We have different training techniques. We use picture cards, note cards, lists and charts,” said Parsons. “We get to know each individual; it depends on their skill level. We have lots who can’t read, so then we go with pictures. W have some who can read, so then you go with lists. You just get to know them and their skills.”
The goal is to work with individuals until they’re independent. “That’s the goal; they all become independent in the community at their job,” she explained.
The café also operates a kiosk and vending machines on the second floor of the Municipal Building.
Jason McFadden takes pride in operating the kiosk where drinks and cookies and muffins are served. Hee said he likes meeting different people.
“I still have some that come maybe a couple of days a week.” He said. And every day is different. “I’ve actually sold three pots of coffee today since we’ve been open. But it’s not an everyday thing,” he said.
And at the end of the day?
Conrad said he goes home and plays video games: Nintendo and Mario Cart. But he doesn’t take a nap. “I don’t want to waste my day sleeping,” he said.
City Garden Café is located at 30 N. Diamond St., on the third floor of the Mansfield Municipal Building. It’s open to the public, Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
