Pictured: Beaver and Erin Shriver help train people with disabilities to work in their shop and other local businesses. Photo taken by Barbie Heit.

Rise Up Cafe, formerly known as Rise & Nye’s, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday morning to celebrate their grand re-opening. While the coffee shop (proudly located in the heart of downtown Sarasota) may have a new name and some exciting new offerings, it is still operating with the same important mission–inclusion, acceptance and opportunity for all.

Beaver Shriver, founder and owner of Rise Up, opened the ceremony with welcoming remarks. “We are so excited to be back for our grand re-opening. Thank you so much for the amazing ride over the last almost 3 years now,” he said. He then went on to thank his wife, Erin Shriver, who he says has reinvented the whole show. “We’ve stepped up everything here. Our products will contain no artificial colors and no artificial flavors, and we are now featuring our amazing Broken Bagels.” These special bagels, he explained, may be a little swirly, have a few wrinkles, dimples and dents on the outside, but like everyone at Rise Up, they just are perfect on the inside.

Erin Shriver is thrilled to be working alongside her husband and joining the Rise Up team. A hairstylist by trade, she was getting ready to open a local salon of her own with a similar mission: to hire and train special needs employees to work the front desk and handle other tasks necessary to keep the business running smoothly. Then, when the Rise & Nye’s partnership ended, she decided to join the Rise Up team. In addition to spearheading the development of new products, like overnight oats and bagels, Erin will be leading the creative culinary team and helping employees earn their baker’s caps from King Arthur Flour. She’ll be teaching them how to make ice cream, muffins, chia pudding, overnight oats and cinnamon buns so they can gain the measuring, preparation and baking skills needed to be successful at other jobs.

The Shriver family has been dedicated to serving and giving to others for many years, and Beaver Shriver has continued the tradition by giving his time and financial support to many organizations, particularly those that champion for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities including Inclusion Revolution, Shriver Education for the Arts, Special Olympics, Best Buddies, and others. “He’s been immersed in it from birth,” shares Erin.

In his closing remarks at the ceremony, Shriver encouraged community members to get involved in the inclusion mission. “We have over 25 people employed here with more than 300 people on our waiting list. In fact, I received another five applications yesterday,” he said. “Where do all of these people go? Publix may hire a few. Goodwill will hire a few. But we need to challenge every business in town to hire just one off the waitlist. We have thousands of people ready to work. Give it a go.”

Rise Up Cafe. 1534 State St, Sarasota, 941-217-6449.

Pictured: Beaver and Erin Shriver help train people with disabilities to work in their shop and other local businesses. Photo taken by Barbie Heit.

To learn more, visit.