Early last week, a new business opened its doors in Prince Rupert, with an aim of selling delicious lunches and helping individuals with mental disabilities find work.
Soup Daddy’s is owned and operating by Fairview Management Services Ltd., with Fairview’s director Alice Compagnon being a partial owner. The take-out restaurant provides an opportunity for individuals with developmental and dual diagnosed disabilities to learn necessary skills for working.
“They are learning skills like how to work as a team, how to work with money, how to manage a place… all of that. We’re preparing for out there in the real world,” explained Val Whomes from Fairview Management Service Ltd.
“Hopefully this will help them to be ready when they apply for a job.”
Every thirty days there will be two individuals from Fairview Management working at Soup Daddy’s, learning about the workforce. There will also be a number of job coaches working with the individuals to help guide them. Each month after the bills are paid, remaining funds generated from the restaurant will be divided between individuals working at the shop during that month.
Since opening last week, Debra Leonard and Sandy Twan have been working at Soup Daddy’s.
Leonard, who has received her Food Safe Certificate, says that her favorite part of working at Soup Daddy’s is making the buns.
“I pick up a big, fresh batch of dough from Baker Boy, pay for it, come back here and put my gloves on and start slicing it up,” she said.
Twan says she also really enjoys helping Leonard with the buns, but while she works on getting her Food Safe Certificate, she enjoys helping out by doing the moping, sweeping and dishes.
All cooks and prep cooks participating have a Food Safe Certificate and follow a Food Plan.
Soup Daddy’s is perfect for lunch, offering soups made fresh daily from scratch, homemade buns, muffins, cookies, ice cream, coffee, mocha's, lattes, and twisters. Eventually, they are hoping to have a specific soup for each day of the week, so people know where their favorite kind is available.
Operation hours are Monday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., although workers are in 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. All service is take-out at 200 4th Street.
The establishment is funded by Community Living British Columbia (or CLBC), a provincial crown agency that delivers support and services to adults with developmental disabilities.