Good Beginnings Café Offers Food Service Training

Goodwill of Central Iowa has opened a new business and job-training venture, Good Beginnings Café, in Des Moines. The café is on the ground floor of the United Way of Central Iowa Human Services Campus at 1111 9th street, which houses a number of local nonprofit agencies.

Good Beginnings Café, which opened January 5, is staffed by several employees, with up to six clients training there. The café will provide a transitional work experience for clients in Goodwill’s Food Service program. Goodwill Vice President Carol Warren said the clients who work in the café will gain “real world” experience there before they leave for outside employment.

“We’re super excited to be here for the convenience of the tenants in the building, but this also expands our opportunities for job training in the community,” Warren said. “It will be an ideal graduation, a nice next step for our clients as they get that exposure and experience working in the community.”

The purpose of the café is in keeping with Goodwill’s mission: to improve the quality of life for all individuals by providing skills training and helping people find jobs.

Good Beginnings Café is open on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. On the menu are breakfast, snacks and lunch items, specialty coffees and other beverages.