{"id":494998,"date":"2026-02-23T22:43:15","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T22:43:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/494998\/"},"modified":"2026-02-23T22:43:15","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T22:43:15","slug":"cafe-on-wheels-brews-skills-and-inclusion-in-montreal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/494998\/","title":{"rendered":"Caf\u00e9 on Wheels brews skills and inclusion in Montreal"},"content":{"rendered":"

The smell of fresh coffee and warm breakfast foods fills the halls each morning at the Centre of Dreams and Hopes (CDH) in Montreal\u2019s Ahuntsic-Cartierville.<\/p>\n

But the caf\u00e9 provides more than something hot to eat; it offers hands-on experience, confidence and connection.<\/p>\n

Launched lats April, Caf\u00e9 on Wheels is a student-run, classroom-based initiative operating daily from 9:45 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Students rotate through responsibilities like taking orders, handling money, preparing beverages and delivering them across the centre \u2014 building practical job skills in a fully inclusive environment designed around their needs.<\/p>\n

\"\"Students and educators stand together at the Centre of Dreams and Hopes in Montreal on Feb. 23, 2026, celebrating their work in the student-run Caf\u00e9 on Wheels morning program. (Adriana Gentile, CityNews)<\/p>\n

A morning routine that builds confidence<\/p>\n

Each day begins with a bell echoing down the hallway.<\/p>\n

Dania Marino walks the corridors ringing it and calling out, \u201cCaf\u00e9 on Wheels, Caf\u00e9 on Wheels,\u201d signalling that the caf\u00e9 is open for business.<\/p>\n

Marino, who is neurodivergent, smiles when asked about her favourite task: making drinks.<\/p>\n

\u201cIced coffee or hot chocolate,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

In those few words is something much bigger \u2014 pride, purpose and participation.<\/p>\n

\"\"Students work together in the kitchen at the Centre of Dreams and Hopes in Montreal on Feb. 23, 2026, preparing food and drinks for Caf\u00e9 on Wheels, the student-run morning program that builds job skills and confidence for neurodiverse participants. (Adriana Gentile, CityNews)<\/p>\n

That sense of ownership is exactly what specialized educator Melissa Moses hoped to create when she launched the program.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe purpose as to why we created Caf\u00e9 on Wheels is because I wanted to create a real authentic work experience for my students,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Moses co-founded the initiative after seeing that traditional work-readiness programs often required students to conform to rigid structures that did not reflect their individual needs. She wanted to build something different \u2014 something authentic and inclusive.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe purpose of Caf\u00e9 on Wheels is just to make an inclusive working environment where we adapt the environment to meet our students\u2019 needs and not the other way around,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\"\"Melissa Moses, a specialized educator at the Centre of Dreams and Hopes in Montreal on Feb. 23, 2026. (Adriana Gentile, CityNews)<\/p>\n

Students take on a variety of roles throughout the morning: greeting customers, taking orders, managing the cash register, preparing beverages and delivering them to peers and staff. It allows each individual to participate in ways that align with their strengths and comfort levels.<\/p>\n

Layered supports are built into every step. Visual schedules and pictograms guide order-taking. Clear visuals help students identify coins and manage money. Technology simplifies drink preparation to prevent cognitive overload and allow processing time.<\/p>\n

Moses said consistency is key to the program\u2019s success.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are enjoying it every single day,\u201d she said. \u201cI think what makes it so successful is just the routine and consistency of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"A cash register and visual aids sit on a Caf\u00e9 on Wheels cart at the Centre of Dreams and Hopes in Montreal on Feb. 23, 2026. (Adriana Gentile, CityNews)<\/p>\n

Because students know what to expect each morning, she said, they arrive calm, regulated and ready to work.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt really creates a sense of belonging and community here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Beyond serving coffee, students are developing math, communication and teamwork skills that extend far beyond the classroom.<\/p>\n

For David Moukarzel, those lessons are clear.<\/p>\n

\u201cI learned about work and I learned about job tasks, skills, and many of you have done it before and I love it too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Melissa Moses (centre), a specialized educator at the Centre of Dreams and Hopes in Montreal, helps students with the cash register and taking orders for Caf\u00e9 on Wheels on Feb. 23, 2026, guiding neurodiverse participants through the student-run morning program. (Adriana Gentile, CityNews)<\/p>\n

More than customers: a family<\/p>\n

In the hum of the morning rush, the caf\u00e9 becomes something more than a workplace. It becomes a gathering place.<\/p>\n

Vanessa Reda beams when she talks about preparing breakfast.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy favourite is French toast.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rosa Farella, a loyal customer, says the caf\u00e9 keeps her coming back for more than caffeine.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat I like about coming here is because I have a family here who I really love, and they\u2019re so special to me, and I love them so much.\u201d<\/p>\n

When she steps up to order, her choice is simple.<\/p>\n

\u201cCoffee, tea \u2014 anything that\u2019s with caffeine, I order.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"French toast and cups of maple syrup sit on a cart at the Centre of Dreams and Hopes in Montreal on Feb. 23, 2026, ready to be served by students in the Caf\u00e9 on Wheels morning program. (Adriana Gentile, CityNews)<\/p>\n

For valued customer Alfie Guerriero, Caf\u00e9 on Wheels is deeply personal.<\/p>\n

\u201cCaf\u00e9 on Wheels is like a second family to me,\u201d he said. \u201cThey have the best drinks, they have the best food, the best staff and also the best servers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ordering from friends adds to the excitement.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I order from there, it makes me happy and excited.\u201d<\/p>\n

A team effort<\/p>\n

Behind the scenes, Moses shares leadership of the initiative equally with co-educator Anthony Picarazzi. While she supports students with order-taking and money handling, Picarazzi focuses on beverage preparation and service.<\/p>\n

Picarazzi oversees the drink-making station, where accessibility is built into the process.<\/p>\n

\u201cI facilitate the drink-making section of Caf\u00e9 on Wheels, and what we\u2019ve done is streamline the process by making everything really accessible and one-button press, while also providing visuals for the students to follow to make the drinks,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"\"Anthony Picarazzi, a specialized educator at the Centre of Dreams and Hopes in Montreal on Feb. 23, 2026. (Adriana Gentile, CityNews)<\/p>\n

Since the program\u2019s launch, he has witnessed a transformation.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve noticed a complete change in the students. They\u2019ve showed up with a bit more confidence, and it\u2019s been really nice to watch them grow and to watch them believe that they can do these things, which is a little stepping stone towards having possibly a career one day.\u201d<\/p>\n

The collaboration, he added, has rippled beyond their classroom.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is actually amazing to watch all of the teamwork that happens here \u2026 and it\u2019s been wonderful to see how such a collaboration has not just stayed in our classroom, but in other classrooms as well. And yeah, it\u2019s been great.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"A sign and menu for Caf\u00e9 on Wheels are displayed at the Centre of Dreams and Hopes in Montreal on Feb. 23, 2026. (Adriana Gentile, CityNews)<\/p>\n

Moses shares the project equally with Picarazzi and hopes to see it expand into the wider community. The team is seeking donations and support to help grow Caf\u00e9 on Wheels beyond the centre\u2019s walls.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to branch out from the centre outside into the community. So any way of helping would be fantastic,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

For now, though, the impact is already visible.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe deeper meaning of Caf\u00e9 on Wheels is just being included in something that we all take ownership for and create the sense of responsibility and just this love for Caf\u00e9 on Wheels. I mean, when we started it, we have grown already in the last two years and just seeing how everyone here has been just so excited by it. It motivates me as an educator to continue giving them new drinks, ideas, new food ideas. It really just brings our classroom together as a whole,\u201d Moses expressed.<\/p>\n

\"\"Caf\u00e9 on Wheels carts and aprons hang on the wall at the Centre of Dreams and Hopes in Montreal on Feb. 23, 2026. (Adriana Gentile, CityNews)<\/p>\n

In a school hallway in Montreal, students are not just pouring coffee. They are practising math at the register, building communication skills with every order and learning the rhythm of teamwork behind the counter. They are discovering confidence. They are experiencing inclusion not as an idea, but as a daily reality.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s one thing to teach teamwork in a classroom but sometimes that could feel a little bit rigid. Whereas here in Caf\u00e9 On Wheels, it\u2019s more practice, it\u2019s authentic. I see the way my students come together wanting to help each other. And really, Caf\u00e9 On Wheels cannot be done solely by one person. It really is a team effort. So I\u2019m so proud of each and every one of my students,\u201d Moses said.<\/p>\n

And every morning, when the bell rings and the call echoes down the hall, Caf\u00e9 on Wheels opens once again \u2014 serving opportunity, dignity and belonging, one cup at a time.<\/p>\n

To read more about stories like this, you can head to\u00a0Inspirations News.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The smell of fresh coffee and warm breakfast foods fills the halls each morning at the Centre of…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":494999,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[194292],"tags":[49,48,2338],"class_list":["post-494998","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-montreal","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-montreal"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/494998","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=494998"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/494998\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/494999"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=494998"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=494998"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=494998"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}