In its 10th year of operation, the Beautiful Rainbow Cafe, located in the Gadsden Public Library was selected as the Alabama Council of Administrators of Special Education program of the year.
The award is a reflection of the hard work administrators put into overseeing the program so that Leita Conner and Chris Wood, special education teachers at Gadsden City High School, can continue their program at the cafe, Wood said.
“It’s all work-based learning with Gadsden City schools,” Wood, culinary arts educator, said. “All of our students come from the special education department.”
In the mornings, Conner teaches a first-block class while Wood gets students off the bus and then heads over to the cafe to bring out the food that was prepared the night before. After Conner finishes her class, she heads over to the cafe to start teaching there.
“Before Chip Rowan started the program, none of the students with severe intellectual disabilities were getting jobs in the community.” Conner said. “Now, it’s over 60. We have amazing success stories of students going out in the community and finding jobs.”
All the dishes are made in house, from scratch without using any mixes or pre-made items, other than the occasional canned good item or lettuce and greens in the winter months. Across the street from the library sit 12 garden beds behind the muraled fence where, with help from the Garden Club, students grow and harvest what they will cook.
“A lot of people have preconceptions,” Connor said. “Like, ‘it’s vegetarian, it’s horrible. I’m not going to eat that, I’d like steak.’ Well so do we, we’re just not going to serve it… Our customers are very loyal. If they want vegetarian or vegan, they know where they can get it.”
Lunch is served Tuesday to Friday 11 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. and Tuesday to Thursday they are open until 5 p.m. for coffee, sweets and drinks.
