First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin names April 2023 Spirit of Virginia Award

Governor Youngkin and First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin today presented a 2023 Spirit of Virginia Award to Cameron’s Coffee & Chocolates, a business enterprise of the nonprofit Every1 Can Work, which provides permanent employment opportunities for young adults living with developmental and intellectual disabilities.

The Governor and First Lady present Ellen Graham, co-founder of Every1 Can Work, and her daughter Cameron, who works at Cameron’s Chocolates, with the Spirit of Virginia Award. Photo by Shealah Craighead Photography.

“The celebration of Cameron’s Coffee & Chocolates is extra sweet this Passover and Easter week. We laud this remarkable nonprofit that transforms the lives of Virginians with cognitive disabilities by providing a job that is much more than a paycheck, it is purpose in life,” said First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin.

“At Cameron’s Coffee & Chocolates, we are telling Virginia, the U.S., and the world that individuals with intellectual disabilities are capable of being productive members of society when given the right opportunities and support. We are proud of our past and current employees and honored to be recognized by the Spirit of Virginia Award,” said Ellen Graham, co-founder of Every1 Can Work.

At Cameron’s Coffee & Chocolates, employees with intellectual disabilities work alongside volunteers and culinary specialists to produce delicious chocolates as well as other food products and services. They develop essential workforce readiness skills that serve them beyond their time at the shop and into their broader lives and careers.

Cameron’s Coffee & Chocolates first opened in 2013 with three employees with intellectual disabilities. Today, it employs 23 workers with intellectual disabilities and is serving as a model to other U.S. states and nations on how to effectively empower individuals with disabilities. On October 1st of this year, Cameron’s Coffee & Chocolates will celebrate its 10th anniversary.

Earlier in the day, during a swing through Northern Virginia, the Governor and First Lady toured the Sharon Bulova Center for Community Health and met with Fairfax healthcare professionals and families to discuss solutions to concerning health challenges as part of the Governor’s Right Help, Right Now behavioral health transformation efforts. They also stopped at Fairfax’s HMart, where they met with Asian community leaders and discussed tax relief, cost of living, workforce readiness, and more.

The Spirit of Virginia Award recognizes unique qualities and standout achievements across the Commonwealth and salutes Virginians for their uncommon contributions to private industries, education, culture, the arts, and philanthropy.

Governor Youngkin and the First Lady will name four more Spirit of Virginia Award recipients in 2023. Learn more about the award here. To learn more about Cameron’s Coffee & Chocolates, visit the organization’s website. All recipients of the Spirit of Virginia Award are recognized during a holiday reception at the end of the year at The Virginia Executive Mansion.

Follow the First Lady on Facebook and Instagram as she celebrates Virginians all across the Commonwealth.