Today we’d like to introduce you to Gregory Jones.
Hi Gregory, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My name is Gregory Jones, and I am a practicing attorney in Tampa Florida. My wife and I have been involved in the disability community for years. Approximately 10 years ago, we helped start Challenger baseball at Palma Ceia Little League, which was a baseball league for boys and girls with special needs. At age 60, I enrolled at the University of Florida and obtained a master’s degree with a certificate in nonprofit leadership.
I intended to retire from the practice of law and get into a nonprofit as an executive director. However, that took a change of plans when we came up with the idea to start a coffee shop that employs individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. CUP INC (Coffee Uniting People) was established in October 2021. CUP is a 501(3)(c) tax-exempt organization that was formed to provide employment opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
My wife and I ultimately assembled a group of people in South Tampa, put a board of directors together, raised some money, and were able to open two nonprofit coffee shops, the first in March in downtown Tampa, 802 E. Whiting St. in the second location at 3408 S. Dale Mabry. We currently employ approximately 40 individuals that have some form of intellectual or developmental disability with over 30 who have applied for employment.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
We have had our challenges. Time has always been an issue for me. I have a full-time law practice and as such, my time has been limited. However, putting CUP together has been a labor of love and something that brings joy and fulfillment.
Financially, we had to raise money to form our company and pay for the buildout of our S. Dale Mabry store, purchase equipment, hire employees, purchase supplies, insurance, legal expenses, etc. all the expenses that are associated with the start of business from scratch. However, raising money was not as difficult as expected as our cause and mission we are pursuing It is near and dear to the hearts of a lot of folks in South Tampa.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about CUP INC?
As referenced above, CUP INC. is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization. Our goal is to be the Starbucks of special needs coffee shops.
We intend to grow CUP and expand not only in Tampa but throughout Florida and hopefully throughout the country. There is a gigantic need that needs to be met. We currently operate two nonprofit coffee shops that serve a variety of coffee drinks, hot and cold, and ice cream. We also serve light Danish food.
Who else deserves credit for your story?
Many people deserve credit. Several of my professors at the University of Florida, including Dr. Angela Lindsay provided me with the knowledge to start form in run CUP INC. My wife Laura Jones has been there with me every step of the way and is an officer on our Board of Directors. Other board members include Heddy Brown, Jane Leverone, Tom “Lumpy” Leverone, Clarie Snyder Revord, Doug Tuttle, and Brian Fasulo.
Our legal counsel is Patricia Douglas who has provided me with excellent legal advice along the way. Stephanie Williams is our manager who, without, we would not be able to operate. She has been in charge of all of our operations and has been extraordinary and her performance. Our son Everett Jones has helped us out tremendously with social media.
Lauri Hunt was initially instrumental and getting CUP off the and was a former board member as was BobbI Royak. Eric and Cathy Kreher were our architect and designer who designed and planned our building on S. Dael Mabry, Phil Gerardi of Gerardi Construction was our contractor, Paul Carastro of Carastro Engineering was our engineer, Kevin Edmonson of Edmonson Electric provided electrical contracting, Lris Blankenship of Bayonet plumbing and air conditioning provided our plumbing and air conditioning services, Phil Caroll of Caroll Air provided our air conditioning units, Doug Shields of Bill Shields roofing helped with our roofing needs. there are others, but these folks I mentioned above deserve the lion’s share of credit for CUP’s success
Contact Info:
- Website: www.coffeeunitingpeople.org
