Submitted by Anna Biondi.
A Little Compassion Inc. (ALC), which was founded in 2018, is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that supports young adults with autism, intellectual, and developmental disabilities. They founded The Nest Coffee House in Deep River, which hires those with autism and also allows for a safe and welcoming community.
Jane Moen, founder of ALC, has plenty of experience working with people with autism. In high school she worked in a special-education classroom as a volunteer. She had also previously worked in a special-needs classroom at a middle school in Old Lyme.
Moen’s biggest motivation for the work that she does for ALC has been her daughter, diagnosed with autism 15 years ago when she was in 6th grade. “Since her diagnosis our family has made it our own mission to support her and ensure that she reached her full potential and lived the life she so deserves utilizing her many strengths,” said Moen.
A Little Compassion Inc. will be the beneficiary for the annual HKTV Holiday Show at Haddam Killingworth High School this year.
“We are a small organization with a big mission so the financial support we will gain from being a part of the Holiday Show will truly make a huge difference and we are very grateful to have been selected and love the connections we are making with the fabulous students from HK who are running the show,” said Moen.
The Nest Coffee House sells various baked goods, different types of coffee and drinks, as well as ice cream. They also hold “Nest Gatherings” which consists of game nights, trivia nights, book clubs, acoustic nights, and much more. They bring people from ages of 12-20 together to connect and have fun in a safe, non-judgmental environment.
“My dream of operating a coffee shop merged with the needs of these great young adults in our midst and with the help of many community members the nonprofit organization ALC was formed and has grown in just 18 short months to an organization that is changing lives,” said Moen. “One of our tag lines is ‘Understanding Starts Here’ and I think that sums it all up nicely.”
