Two longtime friends, former educators and proud residents of The Beaches have teamed up to open a café that not only serves up a piping cup of specialty coffee steps away from the lake, but that also provides a welcoming community, sense of belonging and empowerment to individuals living with disability.
That’s because Judy’s Beach Café is more than a café — it’s a non-profit social enterprise that provides job training and employment to people with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
Founded by Leslie Grant and Donna Paterson, two former special education teachers, the café is named in honour of Paterson’s late sister, Judy — the youngest of 12 children, born with Down syndrome — whose story is commemorated on a wall inside the café.
“She had a wonderful life doing everything that everybody else would do,” says Grant. “The family was determined that she would be able to participate in everything that the rest of the family was doing.”
After her mother died, Judy spent her final years being cared for by her 10 remaining siblings, beginning a tradition of “37 Days with Judy.” When she visited Paterson, Grant got to know her well and learned all about how much Judy had enjoyed working for a flower shop in Montreal for many years.
“It was her sense of purpose. It gave her self-esteem,” she says, noting Judy died in 2024 at the age of 51. “This is something I’ve always wanted to do — open a café employing individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities — but it became clear that we needed to call this Judy’s and employ other people like Judy here at the café.”
Currently, Judy’s employs 10 individuals with disabilities, but during the interview process, Grant witnessed firsthand how challenging it can be for some young people to find meaningful work. One hire had reportedly sent out 200 applications before securing a position.
“There are so many wonderful organisations in this city that provide programs — some with job training, some focusing on social skills for this population — but not paid employment, and that’s what they’re looking for,” she says. “Once they turn twenty-one, the world stops for them. There are no more programs, so they’re looking for work.”
Judy’s Beach Café serves up a signature blend of single origin Mountain View Coffee Company which can be purchased as whole beans or ground beans in a bag with artwork created by the café’s employees. They also offer fresh-daily baked goods made by Circles and Squares Bakery and Tori’s Bakery — continuing the legacy of the bakery that previously occupied the Queen and Balsam storefront.
You’ll also find breakfast burritos, chai puddings, sandwiches, salads, and, of course, all the special coffee you can drink.
As employees complete their training and gain confidence in their roles, Grant says Judy’s Beach Café plans to expand its offerings to include smoothies, wines, and daily fresh bread loaves. While the menu is full of grab-and-go delights, the café was designed as a gathering space, featuring banquet seating and areas for connection. Grant adds that they also hope to host special evening events in the space.
“We want to be more of a community hub as opposed to grab ‘n’ go, and that’s certainly been what we’ve seen in the days we’ve been open,” she says. “That’s what we want — community for our employees, and for our customers.”
And given Grant and Paterson’s love affair with the neighbourhood in which they live, it’s no surprise that they chose to open their community hub in The Beaches.
“We don’t know how it is that we’ve ever lived anywhere else because The Beaches has become our passion,” Grant says. “We love it here and so when it came to deciding where we were going to open up this café, it had to be here.
