(January 17, 2024, Pittston, PA) —Frank Bartoli, president and CEO of NEPA Inclusive, today announced the appointment of Joseph Stuppino as the first executive director of Coffee Inclusive. The Pittston-based coffee shop employs people with diverse abilities working side by side with experienced baristas and servers to provide a warm and welcoming community coffee shop experience.
A resident of Dallas, Stuppino is an experienced fundraiser and community activist with a passion for helping organizations that support individuals with diverse abilities, raising $200,000 for local charities. A 2000 graduate of Dallas High School, he is well-known for his work with the Wilkes-Barre City Community Garden, donating over 5,000 pounds of food locally to non-profit organizations such as the St. Vincent DePaul Soup Kitchen. A devoted Dallas Mountaineer who was co-captain of their 1999 district championship team, Stuppino spent five years as an assistant football coach under Rich Mannello and currently serves as the junior varsity boys’ lacrosse coach.
A seasoned professional with a master of science in Health Care Informatics from Misericordia University and a bachelor of business administration in Marketing from Iona University, Stuppino’s background includes roles as the owner and operator of Valley Fundraising, a healthcare informatics specialist at Associated Family Home Care and a financial services professional with New York Life. He has lifelong experience in the food industry, including his father’s business, Cuz’s Bar & Grill, Exeter. His mother was the food service director at Penn State Wilkes-Barre for many years.
“Joseph’s expertise in coaching, fundraising, food service and hospitality along with his passion for the mission of Coffee Inclusive, makes him the perfect choice as our first executive director. We need someone who can train and coach young people with diverse abilities and foster an environment of respect for all of our employees, who will bring positive energy and unique ideas to our fundraising efforts,” said Bartoli.
Stuppino clearly understands the mission that he has signed up for. “People think we are selling coffee at Coffee Inclusive; we aren’t selling coffee… we are selling the ability to train and employ people who otherwise wouldn’t have a chance or a job to make a great cup of coffee. We are going to train people to have the ability to build confidence in themselves and to develop skills to have a job in real-world situations. I’m excited about the opportunity and the journey and giving more people a voice they didn’t have,” he said.
NEPA Inclusive recently announced the opening of Bake Inclusive, scheduled to open in March. Bake Inclusive will be an extension of Coffee Inclusive and operate under the Coffee Inclusive 501c3 charitable organization umbrella.
Bake Inclusive will feature an Inclusive Transitional Employment Program (ITEP), training local high students with disabilities, and providing them with experience in a real-world food service environment. Bake Inclusive will contract with local schools for transitional employment services and a school-to-work program. Both businesses are located in the Waterfront Warehouse, 350 Kennedy Boulevard, Pittston.
More information can be found on the website, coffeeinclusive.org.