FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 23, 2024
New café provides coffee drinks and work opportunities - Equal Grounds Café opens at the Indy Art Center
Next time you’re looking for a good cup of coffee or a place to catch up with friends over a cup of java, check out Equal Grounds Café, a new coffee shop located in the Indy Art Center in Broad Ripple.
This is much more than just a coffee shop. It’s so much more. With each cup of coffee, tea or sweet treat, it’s serving up opportunities for people with disabilities to work, contribute and learn new skills. Equal Grounds is an inclusive-employment project working in partnership with the Indy Art Center and Tangram, a central Indiana nonprofit that helps individuals with disabilities and their families plan, support and sustain ways to live actively and independently within their communities.
“It’s a great thing to be able to work, but so often people with disabilities aren’t able to have that opportunity,” said Sam Criss, CEO of Tangram. “Equal Grounds’ mission is to provide meaningful employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities, breaking barriers, challenging stereotypes and empowering our diverse team. Everyone who comes to Equal Grounds Café will help support our vision of a more inclusive society.”
Equal Grounds is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
“This is another way to demonstrate that the Indy Art Center is open and accessible to everybody,” said President Mark Williams. “We’re eager to see the fusion of even more creativity and inclusion flourish within our beautiful creative spaces.”
The Indy Art Center and Equal Grounds Café are located at 820 E 67th St, Indianapolis.
WHAT: Ribbon-cutting celebration of Equal Grounds Café
WHO: Equal Grounds, Tangram and Indy Arts Center staff members and families
WHEN: April 29, 11 a.m.
WHERE: Indy Arts Center, 820 E 67th St, Indianapolis
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Indy Art Center
The Indy Art Center, where it’s always Everybody’s Art, is a nonprofit organization that annually offers hundreds of classes and camps, more than 50 art exhibitions, an outreach program that takes art into underserved communities, and the One America Financial Broad Ripple Art Fair. Its main campus is in Broad Ripple, along the banks of the White River and steps from the Monon Trail, and features a building designed by world-renowned architect and Indianapolis native Michael Graves and Indianapolis’ original ArtsPark, an outdoor creativity and sculpture garden and green space with trails. It also operates the Fishers Art Center, opening in June 2024. More info at IndyArtCenter.org.
Tangram
Established in 1985 Tangram provides a wide array of individualized and supportive services to nearly 400 persons with disabilities in 26 counties throughout Indiana. Tangram is a CARF-accredited United Way community-based organization located in Indianapolis, Indiana whose mission encompasses the following: Tangram supports people with disabilities by designing services to meet their specific needs and desires, assisting them to live full, meaningful, and happy lives, at home and as members of their community. For more information about Tangram’s services, visit www.thetangramway.org.
Media contacts
Jen Schmits Thomas, JTPR, jen@jtprinc.com, 317-441-2487
Madison Scott, Tangram, mscott@thetangramway.org, 317-571-1042 x1122
