Welcome to Melly's!
We're open to the public
Our Coffee
Incredibly tasty coffee, roasted and packaged by Melly's!
Where Work Skills Take Off
People with intellectual and developmental disabilities are underemployed, even though many want to work and can work with the right support.
In Canada, only about 1 in 4 adults with an intellectual disability are employed.
The gap often starts early. While many teens build confidence through part-time jobs, youth with disabilities are less likely to get those same formative work experiences. By the time they graduate, often at 21, they are expected to “enter the workforce” without the practice their peers have already had.
That’s where Melly’s comes in.
A Launchpad to contribution
Melly’s is a public café and market, and a training workplace. We help people build the fundamentals of working, in a way that fits their strengths, so they can contribute in their community for the long term.
Our 6-month curriculum was built with employer input, so the skills are current, transferable, and aligned with real entry-level roles.
Paid shifts at Melly’s can be part of the development, but the goal is always the same: employment outside of Melly’s.
We want to see people with disabilities represented in all workplaces.
81 +
of our apprentices have received paid work at Melly's — and counting
100 +
Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities gaining workplace and personal skills in our Interactive Development Program.
43 +
Youth with disabilities stepping forward in our Summer Work Experience Program
28
(and counting) employment opportunities for our apprentices in the community
8
Employers have collaborated with us to hire one or more of our graduates
$25, 000
supporting disability-led businesses, and their products are available to shop in our market.
We are a Registered Canadian Charity
Our mission is to empower individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities through tailored coaching and programming that instills confidence, highlights unique abilities, and guides each person toward meaningful community contributions.
Where to Find us
We're located at 1022 Brock Street South in Whitby.
Open Tuesday through Friday, from 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM and Saturday's from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Our café invites you to enjoy a selection of handcrafted hot and cold beverages, freshly baked treats, and a marketplace brimming with unique gift ideas. We proudly feature products from disability-owned businesses and emerging snack brands.
Our vision for the future is simple:
To see individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities actively engaged and represented in all facets of community life as both employees and customers fully integrated and participating.
With the right support, everyone can find their place in the world of work, contributing to a more inclusive and diverse society.
We're open to the public!
About Us
☕ We are are a registered Canadian charity and not-for-profit café.
Our mission is to empower individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities through tailored coaching and programming that instills confidence, highlights unique abilities, and guides each person toward meaningful community contributions.
Through skill-building, personal growth initiatives, and immersive work-integrated learning at our café and market, we foster independence and capability, equipping each individual with a personal toolbox for active participation in their community.
📍 We're located at 1022 Brock Street South in Whitby.
About a 4 minute drive from the highway!
🕓 Open Tuesday through Friday, from 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM and Saturday's from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Our café invites you to enjoy a selection of handcrafted hot and cold beverages, freshly baked treats, and a marketplace brimming with unique gift ideas.
We proudly feature products from disability-owned businesses and emerging snack brands.
✨ The best part?
Your donations and purchases at our not-for-profit café support subsidizing our programming, providing paid work experiences to our apprentices and advancing and empowering our mission to see people with disabilities represented in all facets of life.
Plus: We roast our own specialty beans and it's really, really good coffee!
The best part?
Your donations and purchases at our not-for-profit café support:
- Subsidizing our programming
- Providing paid work experiences to our apprentices
- Advancing and empowering our mission to see people with disabilities represented in all facets of life.
We know great coffee!
Shop our in-house roasted coffee!
As seen on 💕
🌈 Behind the Scenes ✨
Behind the scenes, we provide a hybrid learning experience where youth and adults with disabilities hone their skills and confidence under the guidance of dedicated coaches. Each person also has the chance to apply for paid shifts in our café and market, gaining hands-on experience that helps prepare them for employment beyond our doors.
By visiting Melly’s, you create meaningful opportunities for each apprentice to pursue their goals and thrive in a workplace that truly values their contributions.
follow us @mellysmarketandcafe
Fresh Roasted Coffee
Small-batch roasted for peak flavour.
We respectfully acknowledge that we are situated on the treaty & traditional territory of the Mississauga of Scugog Islands First Nation of the Mississauga Nation, on whose land we live, work and play. May we honour the knowledge and understanding of Indigenous stewards of these ancestral lands and ensure that the voices of the First Peoples are represented in our mission, training, and programs.