Chapel Hill Public Library Welcomes B3 Coffee Kiosk

Being kind knows no physical bounds, and B3 Coffee is serving their unique blend of warmth through a new Chapel Hill coffee kiosk. Local resident Jacklyn Boheler and two former UNC students founded the coffee pop-up in 2020 to provide employment for people with disabilities.

You can’t miss the B3 Coffee kiosk at the entrance of the Chapel Hill Public Library. Illuminated by sunlight and surrounded by artwork, the first thing you’ll notice is the bright smile of the barista wearing a t-shirt proclaiming B3’s mantra: being, belonging and becoming.

B3 offers paid internships for those with and without disabilities to build foundational work skills for employees and create allies who learn alongside those with disabilities. 

Boheler, who is also the nonprofit’s executive director, said the pop-up coffee kiosk provides community-integrated social and vocational opportunities for people with disabilities as well as allies to the disability community. 

“Using the way coffee brings people together, we aim to dismantle stigmas that surround disability and influence change towards a more inclusive and equitable world,” Boheler said. “We use coffee to build a community and to advance disability justice and acceptance.”

Boheler noted those with disabilities are a part of a marginalized group that face many barriers, including economic, social and cultural stigmas. She said she believes disability justice begins with celebrating disability pride, and is a crucial aspect of breaking down stigmas surrounding disabilities.

Boheler said, with that in mind, she made B3’s main mission to increase involvement and belonging by embracing those with disabilities in the area.

“Disability is something that’s an identity and a culture,” she said, “and something you can take pride in as opposed to traditional conceptualizations of disability as a flaw or as an inherent deficit.

“Disability Pride Month — the whole reasoning behind that is the month the ADA (the Americans with Disabilities Act) was signed,” Boheler added. “We still have a lot more work to do to achieve full enforcement of that and also to break down the social and cultural barriers that exist.”  

The B3 team has approximately 50 members, and the nonprofit hopes to eventually connect their workers with inclusive potential employers. 

B3 also partners with Franklin Street’s Purple Bowl after the restaurant expanded their location to extend in the neighboring suite last spring. 

Greg Boheler, another co-founder of B3, said the nonprofit hosts social events and pop-ups in the area each month.

“Easily my favorite part of B3 is the community part,” Boheler said. “The people that I’m working with are also my friends — it doesn’t feel like work all the time.”

B3 is currently open in the Chapel Hill Public Library from 10 am to 4 pm on weekends, but in August it will expand its hours to include Thursdays. Visit B3’s website to learn more about the organization.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our biweekly newsletter.

‹

Gray Squirrel Coffee Permanently Coming to Chapel Hill Public Library

If you like books and coffee, good news is on the way. The Chapel Hill Public Library has announced that they will be teaming up with Gray Squirrel Coffee Company to satisfy all of your book-and-coffee needs. “So, in July/August, the library lobby – which is pretty popular now and people hang out all day […]

Thanksgiving Holiday to Affect Local Government Services in Orange County

Thanksgiving will fall on Thursday, Nov. 28 this year, and the holiday will affect several local government services around the Orange County community. Here’s a rundown of what residents can expect: Town of Chapel Hill Thursday, Nov. 28 and Friday, Nov. 29 are both town holidays. Residential trash collection will not be affected. However, there […]

Chapel Hill Public Library Names Atlas Logan as New Director

The Town of Chapel Hill has selected Atlas Logan as the next director of the Chapel Hill Public Library and Chapel Hill Community Arts & Culture following a nationwide search. Logan’s tenure begins on April 29. “Working within the library allows me to spend my life in service to others by helping community members in […]

Easter Weekend to Affect Local Government Services

The observation of Good Friday on March 29 will alter several government services around Orange County. Here’s what residents can expect: Town of Chapel Hill Good Friday is an official town holiday. Residential trash collection will not be affected, but collection of yard trimmings, curbside recycling and commercial trash will not occur on Friday. Recycling […]

Orange County Reports First Rabies Case of 2024, Citing Raccoon in Chapel Hill

Orange County has received its first report of a positive case of rabies in 2024: a raccoon near Southern Village in Chapel Hill.

Local Government Closures for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (2024)

The observation of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, January 15 will affect several local government services around the community. Here’s what residents can expect: Town of Chapel Hill Residential trash will not be collected. Monday’s routes will be serviced on Wednesday, January 17. Curbside recycling will also not be collected on Monday, with […]

Chapel Hill Library Now Offers Free Period Products to All Patrons

The Chapel Hill Public Library is known for the variety of free services it offers to community members. This week, it unveiled a new one to those who visit its restrooms: free menstrual products. The library unveiled new dispensers for tampons and pads on Tuesday, which are in each of the building’s restrooms and do […]

Chapel Hill Historical Society Looks for Options Before Its Move

The Chapel Hill Historical Society was founded in 1966 and is still going strong. Now, the nonprofit is searching for a new home.

Chapel Hill Public Library Expanding Hours of Operation

The Chapel Hill Public Library is expanding its hours and adjusting its meeting room policies as part of its COVID-era Path to Reopening, director Susan Brown announced via newsletter last week. The library’s new hours, which were decided upon with input from both community partners and users, will be 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday […]

Chapel Hill Public Library Welcomes B3 Coffee Kiosk

The Chapel Hill Public Library is one of many community entities that slowly reopened after the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the final stages of returning to normal operations: welcoming B3 Coffee to serve its patrons.

›