Welcome to Melly's!
We're open to the public
Our Coffee
Incredibly tasty coffee, roasted and packaged by Melly's!
Where Work Skills Take Off
In Canada, only about 1 in 4 adults with an intellectual or developmental disability are employed.
That gap often starts early. While many teens build confidence through part-time jobs, youth with disabilities are less likely to access the same formative work experiences. By the time they graduate, often at 21, many who want to work and can work are still missing the experience employers expect.
That’s where Melly’s comes in.
Our impact in numbers
of our apprentices have applied and received paid shifts at Melly's
Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities gaining workplace and personal skills in our Interactive Development Program.
Youth with disabilities stepping forward in our Summer Work Experience Program
(and counting) employment opportunities for our apprentices in the community
Employers have collaborated with us to hire one or more of our graduates
dollars directed to disability-led businesses through featured product purchases
We are a Registered Canadian Charity
Our mission is to empower individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities through tailored coaching and programming that instills confidence, highlights unique abilities, and guides each person toward meaningful community contributions.
Where to Find us
We're located at 1022 Brock Street South in Whitby.
Open Tuesday through Friday, from 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM and Saturday's from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Our café invites you to enjoy a selection of handcrafted hot and cold beverages, freshly baked treats, and a marketplace brimming with unique gift ideas. We proudly feature products from disability-owned businesses and emerging snack brands.
Our vision for the future is simple:
To see individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities actively engaged and represented in all facets of community life as both employees and customers fully integrated and participating.
With the right support, everyone can find their place in the world of work, contributing to a more inclusive and diverse society.
The best part?
Your donations and purchases at our not-for-profit café support:
- Subsidizing our programming
- Providing paid work experiences to our apprentices
- Advancing and empowering our mission to see people with disabilities represented in all facets of life.
Melly’s is a launchpad in a public café and market.
We deliver a 6-month, employer-informed curriculum that builds real, transferable workplace skills. Paid shifts at Melly’s can be part of the learning, but the goal is clear:
Employment beyond Melly’s, with people with disabilities represented in workplaces everywhere.
🌈 BTS ✨
Behind the scenes, we provide a hybrid learning experience where youth and adults with disabilities hone their skills and confidence under the guidance of dedicated coaches.
As seen on 💕
We make really good coffee!
We know great coffee!
Shop our in-house roasted coffee!
follow us @mellysmarketandcafe
We respectfully acknowledge that we are situated on the treaty & traditional territory of the Mississauga of Scugog Islands First Nation of the Mississauga Nation, on whose land we live, work and play. May we honour the knowledge and understanding of Indigenous stewards of these ancestral lands and ensure that the voices of the First Peoples are represented in our mission, training, and programs.