Dear friends and fellow parents in the disability community,

I am so excited to share something with you that has been “percolating” in my head for years, and more recently has reached something akin to “the wheels of progress are turning.”

For a long time, I have thought and worried about what Max would do after he “aged-out” of CTP when he turns 21. My dream was to create a coffee shop that would be run by Max and his friends as a way to parlay the vocational skills they learned throughout middle and high school into meaningful employment, a chance to continue to see friends, to live and work in their community, and generally “be seen.” I had seen several iterations of the same idea in other U.S. cities (and at least one other in Portland) but wanted something like that right in the community that Max calls home.

I am happy to let you know that my dream (and the dream of other like-minded passionate people!) is going to become a reality! Recently I have connected with a small group of parents as well as professionals (all former LOSD employees) who share this dream and vision for “our kids.” We are actively pursuing opening a coffee shop – but that’s just the beginning. Inclusion is our guiding star in the development of this organization, and we plan on growing multiple employment avenues that will allow more people in the disability community to participate and enrich the organization. If you would like to see a real-life version of our ultimate goal, please visit:

https://www.mychals.org/our-programs/social-enterprises/

Mychal’s Learning Place is an organization that provides the level of comprehensive support and opportunities as well as the inclusive environment that we want to build in Lake Oswego.

Introducing YES! LO

YES! stands for Young Employment Success. Our co-founder, Sabrina, suggested YES as an acronym because, “No one can say no to YES!” We are currently completing all of the things that are required to start an organization like this (non-profit status, website, branding, etc.) and soon we will be “live” and ready to start Phase 2 – which is opening a coffee shop!

We need as many people from the community as possible to help us with the vision, building the organization from the ground up, and fundraising. We hope we can count on you!

Thank you in advance for your support!!

Becky Owens

YES! LO is a new non-profit, based in Lake Oswego, Oregon, dedicated to creating tailored business opportunities for young adults with disabilities, in their own hometown, after they graduate from high school. Once many young adults graduate from high school, and certainly when they turn 21, these individuals lose access to structured programs that support skill-building, social engagement, and personal growth. We want to address the glaring lack of opportunities for meaningful employment within the city of Lake Oswego. We believe that young adults should have many options and opportunities for employment right in the community where they grew up and went to school. Like their typically developing peers, they should be able to maintain their friendships and connection with the community long after high school graduation. We plan to create tailored business opportunities in Lake Oswego for young adults with disabilities. Our approach will provide a direct pathway to meaningful work based on the individual’s interests, passions, and aspirations. YES! LO was founded to promote skill development, build confidence, support independence, and foster genuine community inclusion.

About Us

Who We Are

Our founding partners consist of parents and former Lake Oswego School District professional educators. We saw a need in the community for our young adult sons & daughters/LOSD former students to find meaningful employment opportunities IN Lake Oswego after they complete their time in the district and “age-out” at 21-years-old. Lake Oswego is where they live. It’s where they have grown up. It’s where they have made friends and connections. It’s where their families live. Why isn’t Lake Oswego a place where they can find meaningful employment if they so choose? For so many of our young adults, working at a grocery store is not something that is a viable or interesting option for a job – yet that is primarily the only paid employment opportunity they have within their hometown. If they want another type of job, they must travel to Portland, or elsewhere. We are banding together and working toward making it possible for our young adults to live AND work in their own hometown – doing something they love, that brings them joy, that gives them a sense of purpose. We will work deliberately and tenaciously to make our vision a reality.