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Former special education teacher, now a business owner, gets big honor

Nearly half of the workforce at Spencer's Place has special needs
Nick Ciletti (1).png
Posted at 4:25 AM, Jun 20, 2023
and last updated 2023-06-20 08:52:04-04

SURPRISE, AZ — The coffee was poured, the pies were baked and the stage was set to surprise Karin York, a former special education teacher.

York opened Spencer's Place in 2019, leaving the classroom because she realized many of her students weren't able to find work after they graduated.

Spencers Place

She says she knew they were capable of so much more.

"My vision was to have a really good coffee shop, a really good product, that was enhanced with the most awesome staff that have intellectual and developmental disabilities," said York.

ABC15 first introduced you to York in 2022.

Spencer's Place, which is named for her son with Down Syndrome, has become a thriving coffee business in Surprise with nearly half of its workforce having special needs.

"They are greeted at the register by someone with Down Syndrome or a variety of disabilities and the walls really start to come down...it has really surpassed every expectation," said York.

Valley coffee shop serves up hope and inclusion

But there was something else York wasn't expecting; she didn't know it yet, but our team was about to pull off the surprise of a lifetime.

ABC15's Nick Ciletti mentioned the station wanted to do a follow-up story on Spencer's Place, but what he didn't mention was that York was the recipient of the S.J. Dilenschneider Community Award.

"We were all so very touched by your story," said ABC15 General Manager Anita Helt. "We think it's a story of a mother's love. And it's a story of how you have changed the lives of so many of your former students who are now your employees. And you have changed a community. It is our honor to present to you with this year's S.J. Dilenschneider Award!"

The award includes a check for $10,000 and is given to someone in the community who gives back in a major way and motivates the people around them -- just like S.J. Dilenschneider did. Dilenschneider was a longtime executive with Scripps-Howard newspapers who had the unique ability to uplift the people around him.

"The timing couldn't be better," explained York. "This is huge. We have a huge staff…we have to supplement…this is incredible…"

Ciletti asked, "When you see the impact, how does that make you feel?"

"I can't articulate it. It's changing lives. It really is. I cannot tell you the stories behind this bar of people's lives who have changed and enriched. These kids are empowered now," added York.