Barista with autism thrives in Scottsdale library coffee shop

SCOTTSDALE, AZ - Throughout the Scottsdale Public Library you will find it to be a quiet place just like any other library. 

However, one corner is filled with the noise of grinding coffee beans and espresso machines. 

It is there where you will find Jon, the barista of the Beneficial Beans Café. Jon will greet you with a smile and make you the best cup of coffee in town, according to CeCe Russell.

One thing that you may not know about Jon, he was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome two summers ago, which is a mild form of autism.

The Southwest Austism Research and Resource Center has teamed up with the Matador Coffee Shop to create Beneficial Beans. SARRC’s goal is to help out adults with autism, and help them learn real world skills that they can apply to other jobs.

“This was the first company that gave me a chance,” said Jon who has been looking for a job for the past six years.  This is common as 90 percent of adults with autism are unemployed.

CeCe Russell, a SARRC employee, says that they have seen great growth in Jon since he has started.

“We are here to provide that opportunity for adults with autism to hone in on those skills so they can go out and transition them elsewhere,” Russell said.