Gwangjin District Opens IgotEverything Cafe Employing Baristas with Disabilities at Integrated Government Building

Operating Profits to Be Reinvested in Expanding Job Opportunities for People with Disabilities

On June 5, Gwangjin District in Seoul opened the IgotEverything Gwangjin District Office Branch, a cafe employing people with severe disabilities, in the lobby on the first floor of the district’s integrated government building.

IgotEverything Gwangjin District Office Branch in the lobby on the first floor of the Integrated Government Building. Provided by Gwangjin District.

IgotEverything is a job creation brand operated by the Korea Disabled People’s Development Institute. People with disabilities who have completed professional barista training actively participate in all aspects of the cafe, including beverage preparation and sales, customer service, and store management.

The newly opened Gwangjin District Office Branch is the 105th IgotEverything location nationwide, jointly operated by the Gwangjin District Office, the Korea Disabled People’s Development Institute, and the Korea Polio Association Jeongnip Sheltered Workshop. Currently, two baristas with severe disabilities and one manager are working at the cafe, which offers a variety of beverages and desserts, including coffee, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays.

The district aims to provide a practical foundation for supporting the independence of people with disabilities through the opening of this cafe. Additionally, by sharing unused public office space with the local community, the district is realizing inclusive welfare. Profits from the cafe are paid as wages to the baristas, and there are also plans for reinvestment to further expand job opportunities for people with disabilities.

Kim Kyungho, Mayor of Gwangjin District, stated, “The cafe is a place where residents visiting the district office can naturally interact with one another, and it is even more meaningful because it can help improve awareness of disabilities. We will continue to do our best to support the independence of people with disabilities by expanding job opportunities and providing vocational rehabilitation training.”