Saturday Morning Coffee at Gather + Grounds!

We will meet at Gather + Grounds which is on Van Dyke Avenue south of I-696 and next door to Ed Rinke Chevrolet Buick GMC CO in Center Line, Michigan. The Coffeehouse features various beverages including tea and coffee, bagels, sandwiches, pastries, soups and a relaxed ambience. This business was also featured on a WXYZ-TV newscast back on April 2023! They were even featured again on the same news station in Ferndale, Michigan before they closed. Gather + Grounds supports adults with disabilities with employment and to find a place of belonging, community, purpose, and hope. The coffeehouse supports the community with a relaxing and enjoyable environment and lower sensory stimulation than many smaller busy coffeeshops. The purpose of meeting there is to enjoy a time of conversation and fellowship over coffee or other beverages and treats!

This can also be a time for parallel play where we gather and spend time together engaging in a special interest, craft, or most anything else without interaction for a period of time and then organically, it may lead into conversation together. Feel free to bring your favorite items such as a laptop, tablet, book, journal, or anything you enjoy or want to work on. Or come as you are.

Most meetings will have a starting topic, idea, or icebreaker to begin the conversation, but the conversation can and will meander freely toward tangents and may "double back" to the starting topic at any time. We are looking to create a safe space to get together and have discussions that will evolve organically.

Though it starts at 10:00 A.M., you can drop in and/or leave whenever it’s convenient. We’d rather have your company for a little time than not at all.

It’s claimed that autistics don’t have the same trouble connecting with each other as they do with neurotypicals. The longer I organize this, the more I believe it. In fact, I've found that socializing and connecting is easier with others on the spectrum than I've ever encountered in my life.

This is a place for people on the spectrum to meet and make friends. Allies and those curious about neurodiversity are welcome. The venue serves food such as pastries, coffee and a variety of beverages. The structure of these meetings aims to remain casual and supportive. Talk about your nerdiest interest or just come to be around other people. No pressure to talk. You're welcome regardless.

The shop has ample space to move around and have an enjoyable time. There are a few clusters of seating around the store. There are tables and chairs, armchairs, and benches to sit on, or you are welcome to stand and/or walk around the space. There is also a wheelchair accessible ramp to the coffeehouse's entrance.

ALSO please consider supporting our venue by purchasing something. It can be as little as a coffee or a pastry. We want them to keep welcoming us back.

NOTE There are no electrical outlets in the center of the floor FYI, so make sure to have a charging block or arrive with laptops, tablets, and phones charged for the event.

Please feel free to reach out with any questions or suggestions, and I look forward to seeing you there!