The National Grid Foundation has awarded Seven Hills ASPiRE! $25,000 towards the Workforce Readiness and Employment program. These much-appreciated funds will be used to support a new community-based workforce readiness and job-training site, Seven Hills Café, located in the former Stearns Tavern that was relocated to Coes Reservoir and park. Stearns Tavern will be the fourth café that is operated by Seven Hills and participants of our Workforce Readiness and Employment program.

Scheduled for a late spring opening, the 206-year-old Stearns Tavern is being renovated and remodeled to serve park visitors and the community as a Worcester destination. Participants of the Seven Hills ASPiRE! Workforce Readiness and Employment program are currently being trained to see to the day-to-day operations of the new Café.  The Café will serve ice cream, steamed hot dogs, and other food items.

The Workforce Readiness and Employment program provides individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities with functional vocational assessment, career planning, job-specific training, job placement, on-site job coaching, and more.  In addition to internship tracks in Café management, food service, landscaping, and facilities maintenance, paid interns will help to coordinate and provide catering for the on-site community meeting space and will also use the space to display and sell art created by artists with disabilities.

Thanks in part to The National Grid Foundation, Seven Hills ASPiRE! will be able to launch this collaborative partnership with the City of Worcester and equip program participants with the skills that they need for employment in their community.

Stearns Tavern building photo - T&G

National Grid partnership with Seven Hills from Seven Hills Foundation on Vimeo.