Rancho Works Café and Gift Shop

Rancho Works Café and Gift Shop

header-title-decorationRancho Works Café and Gift Shop

The Rancho Works Café & Gift Shop, a part of the Occupational Therapy Vocational Services continuum, provides former patients with an opportunity to return to work in a supportive work environment. Located just off the main lobby in the new outpatient building at Rancho, the Café & Gift Shop provides a menu of affordably priced, healthy food choices, and handcrafted novelty items to serve the needs of patients, staff, visitors and the community. Handcrafted items such as greeting cards, jewelry, soaps, and ceramics sold at the gift shop are created by patients referred to the Occupational Therapy Vocational Services program with the goal of returning to work. As a non-profit, all proceeds from the Rancho Works Café & Gift Shop go back to the program while providing opportunities for former patients to go back to work or engage in productive, meaningful activities. 

At the Rancho Works Café & Gift Shop, recovery is promoted by engaging both the mind and body through practicing learned skills in a supportive work environment. In this real work setting, participants develop core self-management and work skills such as taking responsibility, following a schedule, time management, organization, appropriate work behaviors, and teamwork. Workers are scheduled 4-6 hours per day to assist with the daily operations of the Café & Gift Shop including stocking shelves, monitoring inventory, cashiering, and bookkeeping tasks. They are trained in safe food handling under a limited food preparation license and cottage food operation permit while also honing their professional behavior, work ethics, and customer service skills. 

Following a devastating life change, adjustment to a disability and community reintegration are serious challenges that patients face. The skills that they learn in the Occupational Therapy Vocational Services continuum are beneficial for making a successful transition to becoming productive and contributing members of the community. The Rancho Works Café & Gift Shop is designed to enable participants of all diagnoses, abilities and backgrounds to regain a sense of self-worth, well-being, and healthy routines through engagement in physical and cognitive activities in an actual work setting. 

The program also fosters a sense of belonging and feelings of purpose while working alongside others toward the common goal of returning to work. It empowers individuals through personalized goal setting and individualized work plans to gain the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to maximize their work performance and improve their quality of life. 

 To learn more about the Rancho Works Café and Gift Shop, click here.