In an interview with CanadianSME Small Business Magazine, Aimee Ruttle and Ellen McRae, co-founders of Melly’s Workplace, shared their inspiring journey of founding the nonprofit organization driven by a profound interaction with Melanie, a volunteer with Down Syndrome. This experience highlighted the potential and eagerness of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to work and be part of the community, catalyzing the creation of Melly’s. The co-founders have faced challenges such as pandemic-related delays but used this time to refine and expand their educational programs, which have significantly impacted participants like Coen, who successfully transitioned into the workforce. Melly’s has become a community hub where participants apply learned skills in real-world settings, supported by local and online communities. Looking forward, Aimee and Ellen aim to broaden their impact, advocating for more inclusive opportunities and envisioning a future where individuals with disabilities are fully integrated into all aspects of community life.
Ellen McRae, MBA, built her career in the non-profit sector, co-founded Melly’s and currently presides as President of the Board. As Melanie’s mother, whose life includes Down syndrome, Ellen is a fervent advocate for enhancing opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
Aimee Ruttle, with a product development and leadership background, co-founded Melly’s and serves as its Executive Director. As the sister of Melanie, who has Down syndrome, Aimee understands firsthand the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities in accessing equal opportunities
Together, you can find Aimee and Ellen at Melly’s every day, supporting the participants, shaping the development program, and collaborating with the community to expand job opportunities for people with disabilities, share inclusive practices and promote the program’s benefits.
What motivated you both to co-found Melly’s Marketplace and Café? Was there a specific moment or event that inspired you to start this non-profit, and how does it reflect your personal values?
The inception of Melly’s took root in 2018, during a season at a restaurant and inn that we were running for the summer. We brought on board ten young students here. By guiding them through the nuances of their first job, including the subtleties of workplace culture, the groundwork for our interactive development program took root.
Melanie (Melly), whose life includes Down Syndrome, volunteered at the restaurant. She loved working, and we’d often find her so focused on a task and busy with work that the summer students would seek her out and ask if they could help her.
Melanie has an “I’ve got this” work ethic, and it sowed the seeds for Melly’s: How many other adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities are ready, willing, and able to work and just need a door opened to an opportunity?
A pivotal moment came when Melanie penned a condolence letter to Wayne Gretzky for the loss of his friend, Joey, whose life also included Down Syndrome. Her words, “I want to be a part of everything, just like everybody else. A part of life,” succinctly captured what we aspired to achieve with Melly’s.
What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced while running Melly’s, and how have you both worked together to overcome them? Can you share a specific example that tested your resilience and creativity?
In 2019, we took a giant leap forward by securing a location for Melly’s. However, the onset of the pandemic imposed many delays on our launch. We were paying rent for a commercial building on a main street but couldn’t open or finish renovations. It was a little scary financially. This setback became our time to refine and expand upon our program. We had the time to build what became an extensive curriculum tailored to diverse learning needs, comprising 32 workplace and personal development modules and hundreds of activities for different learning styles. We were able to utilize the space to test our curriculum, so that when we finally opened, we had a solid, expansive plan that brought value and great experiences to our participants from day one.
Can you share a story that illustrates the positive impact Melly’s has had on its participants? What have been some of the most rewarding moments since you started this journey?
A recent highlight was witnessing Coen’s journey with Melly’s. Over the year, he worked through our Interactive Workplace Development Program, was hired for some of our paid events, and embarked on his job search through Melly’s Bridge. A turning point in his story unfolded when we partnered with the LCBO, who recognized Coen’s skills and offered him a seasonal position during their peak holiday period and he was invited back for the summer too. Watching how confidently Coen navigated his new role at the LCBO and how the team there welcomed him was a really special moment for all of us.
The LCBO recently opened more positions for individuals with disabilities, and we had a couple of participants who watched Coen’s journey and were also interested in applying. Coen took them on a tour and showed them around, explaining the difference between products and how to offer excellent customer service. His confidence in his role, the excitement of the other applicants seeing themselves in a similar role and seeing that possibility for themselves was special. Again, it goes back to what Melanie said: everyone wants to be a part of life.
How have the local community, your TikTok community and stakeholders responded to Melly’s Market and Café? What role do they play in supporting your mission, and how do you encourage their ongoing involvement?
Our local and online communities’ responses to Melly’s Market + Café have been overwhelmingly positive. Our local patrons directly engage with our participants, allowing them to apply what they’ve learned and gain the confidence needed to pursue external employment opportunities. Our customers know our participants and vice-versa; they have great conversations and connect with shared interests.
Our online community, though unable to visit in person, plays a significant role by spreading the word about our initiative. Melly’s is a registered charity, and we receive most of our donations from our online community. They have also sponsored participants for our program, connected us with potential businesses that are hiring and helped us advocate for inclusion.
We actively share updates and successes on TikTok; we love the supportive online environment. Our TikTok community asks great questions, celebrates our participants’ milestones, and helps share our mission. Storytelling through video is a key part of our strategy; it allows our audience to see individuals with disabilities working, contributing, creating, running businesses, and setting goals. These stories showcase their abilities but also help to shift perceptions. People with disabilities are capable and deserving of opportunities to contribute in meaningful ways—be it through employment, school, volunteering, entrepreneurship…They can do it all.
As co-founders, what is your vision for Melly’s in the next five years? Are there any new projects or goals that you’re particularly excited about, and how do you plan to achieve them?
Our vision for the future is simple: to see individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities actively engaged and represented in all facets of community life as both employees and customers, fully integrated and participating. With the right support, everyone can find their place in the world of work, contributing to a more inclusive and diverse society. Our next five years are focused on supporting this vision through making connections and spreading the word so that people with disabilities have access to opportunities to work and be a part of life.
