Larri and Leroy gives hope to neurodiverse young adults
RIVONIA – Larri and Leroy's finds a home for neurodiverse adults. A home where they can belong without any judgments.
Larri and Leroy’s Coffee shop, previously known as Special Knead Café run by young adults with special needs has found a home in Rivonia. The coffee shop is located at Edu360 Integrated Education – an independent NPO that makes learning accessible to students with complex learning differences.
Special Knead Café recently changed their name. Owner Kim Rundle said she has been trying with no luck to change their name on social media. The name change was inspired by her love for ostriches.
“Larri and Leroy are transgender ostriches. So in this space, you can be whoever you were born to be, no judgments. Anybody out there who doesn’t feel they fit into society this is where you belong. That’s really who we are,” said Rundle.
Edu360 got hold of Rundle and offered to provide her with space in their premises to open her coffee shop.
Not knowing where they would get funds for the new coffee shop, Rundle got a message from Greg Woolfson, owner of POP Designs [Furniture manufacturing company] offering to build them a coffee shop.
“When we saw Kim’s post on Facebook saying they want to do something slightly different, out of the norm we contacted her. Within a week we met up and soon enough everyone jumped on board including our suppliers,” said Greg.
It has taken Kim two years to get the coffee shop up and running. The Earth Angels stepped in while she was sick and exhausted from trying to set up a new NPO and find a new site. Earth Angles is an organisation dedicated to helping mothers and babies worldwide.
“As a special-needs mother you want to help your children the best way you can and I was sad that the government wouldn’t do anything for these children,” she added.
The coffee shop is not open to the public yet. They are open to the students at Edu360 for the next two weeks to provide training on how the coffee shop operates.
Rundle said she hopes the coffee shop in association with Edu360 becomes a stepping stone for neurodiverse children that want to learn how to do something like being a barista or chef.
Related articles:
https://www.citizen.co.za/sandton-chronicle/202415/special-knead-cafe-provides-employment-for-special-needs-adults/
https://www.citizen.co.za/sandton-chronicle/210101/special-kneads-cafe-is-looking-for-a-new-home/
