Our Impact
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.
This is how we're getting there.
81+
of our apprentices have received paid work at Melly's — and counting.
On Saturdays, we run Melly’s Workday: a true workplace simulation with real accountability.
No coaches. No guided lessons. Just work.
Participants apply for posted jobs, interview, complete paperwork, follow job descriptions, track hours, and meet with a supervisor for a performance review. This hands-on experience builds fluency, confidence, and independence, so graduates can launch into the community ready to contribute real value to employers.
143+
Youth and Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities served.
Every apprentice at Melly’s begins with our Interactive Workplace Development Program, built around workplace skill-building and personal development.
We follow a practical sequence that sets people up for real employment success: Keep the Job, then Do the Job, then Get the Job. The goal is confidence, fluency, and readiness, developed in a safe, welcoming environment designed for growth.
$25,000
8 disability-driven businesses supported through our market.
Inclusion is not only about employment. It is also about entrepreneurship, visibility, and economic opportunity.
That is why we invest in disability-driven ventures through our market. We purchase directly, amplify their brands, and connect our community to products made by people with lived experience. This support strengthens businesses and increases representation in meaningful, everyday ways.
8
8 employers actively hiring and mentoring Melly’s graduates.
Real change takes collaboration.
Business Inclusion Partners are employers who hire, mentor, and champion Melly’s graduates. These partnerships strengthen the pathway to employment and help build a more inclusive labour market.
Together, we focus on what leads to long-term success: aligned roles, thoughtful onboarding, and support plans that build independence over time.
50,000+
handcrafted beverages served.
Melly’s is a public café and market, and a training workplace. Every drink you purchase creates real opportunities to build skills, practice workplace expectations, and be part of the community in a visible way. Thank you for supporting our café. Every dollar of profit goes directly back into our programming and paid work experience opportunities for our apprentices.
Together, we are building a more inclusive community, one handcrafted beverage at a time.
25+
25+ community events that bring people of all abilities together
Community engagement is at the heart of how we create change.
Through events, tours, presentations, and partnerships, we bring people together to learn, connect, and see inclusion in action. These experiences build belonging, reduce barriers, and strengthen a supportive community where everyone is valued and abilities are celebrated.
Our impact is measured in more than numbers.
It is built in skills gained, confidence earned, and real opportunities created.
Every day, we work toward a community where adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities are valued for what they contribute and supported to succeed at work and in life.