Milford Students Coffee Cart Sells ‘Success’ – One Cup at a Time

From Milford Public Schools: What started as a simple coffee cart has become a powerful job-training program for students in Milford – and on Monday, February 25th – you are invited to help celebrate their 3rd anniversary of being in business.

Parsons Perks, a mobile coffee station located in the Parsons Government Center in Milford, serves coffee, pre-packaged snacks, and cold beverages at affordable prices for visitors and employees in the building. The program expanded last year with the offering of ‘made-to-order’ lunch options that are delivered to the various offices in the building. The business is operated completely by students from the district’s Fifth Year Vocational Experience (FYVE) program who continue their formal education process through age 21.

The 3rd Anniversary Celebration is expected to kick off at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 25th, in the Parsons building, and will include a special cake-cutting, games, and other events throughout the day to thank patrons for their support over the past three years.

Joanne Barrett, a Milford Public Schools teacher and Transition Coordinator involved with the FYVE program, first got the idea in 2016 to launch a business in which students with special needs could gain important vocational skills.

“My mission was to create a way for my students to learn valuable employability skills in a public environment. These students have huge potential and can easily become tax-paying, contributing citizens – but they needed a way to get some real experience before they transition from school to work. The response has been overwhelming and now, three years later, we are still going strong!” commented Barrett.

Several of the program’s graduates are now gainfully employed by local businesses in the Milford community.

Residents are encouraged to visit Parsons Perks the next time they have business to do in the Parsons building. The cart is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. and on Fridays from 8:30 – 11:00 a.m., during the school year.

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