Ribbon Cutting: The Caring Cup
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Upstate Caring Partners invites community members, business leaders, supporters, and local officials to celebrate the official ribbon cutting of The Caring Cup in partnership with the Greater Utica Chamber of Commerce on Monday, November 9, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.
The Caring Cup opened August of this year through Upstate Caring Partners' vocational program, providing meaningful, hands-on employment training opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities while serving fresh coffee and muffins to employees, visitors, and community members. Participants gain valuable experience in customer service, cash handling, and workplace communication in a welcoming café environment. The café is staffed by participants in Upstate Caring Partners vocational programs and offers coffee products by Utica Coffee Roasting.
"Every cup served at The Caring Cup represents a story of growth, inclusion, and possibility," said Jeremy Earl, Executive Vice President of Education Programs at Upstate Caring Partners. "We are proud to celebrate a business that not only serves great coffee but also empowers individuals to discover their strengths, pursue their goals, and make a lasting impact in the community."
The community is encouraged to attend the ceremony, meet the vocational students behind the café's daily operations, learn more about Upstate Caring Partners' vocational services, and support an initiative that promotes inclusion and workforce development.
The Caring Cup is open to the public Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and is located on the first floor of 125 Business Park Drive. Start-up funding for the café was provided through a generous donor via The Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties.
The Caring Cup opened August of this year through Upstate Caring Partners' vocational program, providing meaningful, hands-on employment training opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities while serving fresh coffee and muffins to employees, visitors, and community members. Participants gain valuable experience in customer service, cash handling, and workplace communication in a welcoming café environment. The café is staffed by participants in Upstate Caring Partners vocational programs and offers coffee products by Utica Coffee Roasting.
"Every cup served at The Caring Cup represents a story of growth, inclusion, and possibility," said Jeremy Earl, Executive Vice President of Education Programs at Upstate Caring Partners. "We are proud to celebrate a business that not only serves great coffee but also empowers individuals to discover their strengths, pursue their goals, and make a lasting impact in the community."
The community is encouraged to attend the ceremony, meet the vocational students behind the café's daily operations, learn more about Upstate Caring Partners' vocational services, and support an initiative that promotes inclusion and workforce development.
The Caring Cup is open to the public Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and is located on the first floor of 125 Business Park Drive. Start-up funding for the café was provided through a generous donor via The Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties.
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Where is it happening?
125 Business Park Dr, Utica, NY 13502-6305, United States
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
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Host or PublisherGreater Utica Chamber
