Bridget was enrolled in Aspire’s independent living program when she heard about a job opportunity at Aspire CoffeeWorks. “When I heard about the chance to work at Aspire CoffeeWorks and saw how they roasted coffee I thought, that’s my dream job!” said Bridget.

She got the job and after some initial training she was bagging, labeling and shipping freshly roasted coffee. She really enjoyed it and found it exciting because she had never done anything like it before. Bridget was so good at her job that Aspire CoffeeWorks’ partner, Metropolis Coffee Company, hired her to work exclusively on their staff in a position that offered more hours.

Today, she commutes an hour by public transportation to and from her job as a production assistant. “There are so many new things to learn here,” said Bridget, “like bagging coffee, sealing the bags, even shipping.”

Not surprisingly, Bridget’s family is very proud of her. They’re proud that she has a steady job, that she handles the commute by bus and does everything else it takes to live independently. Bridget has come a long way. No one would know it when talking to her now, but she claims she’s a quiet person and a little shy. “Aspire helped me learn how to express myself instead of keeping everything inside like I used to do. I’m really happy that I can sit and have a conversation with someone, because that’s not something I was able to do before.”

Aspire and Aspire CoffeeWorks are extremely impressed with Bridget and all her accomplishments. She’s an incredible example of personal success, success through Aspire’s independent living program and success in the workplace.