About Us

There are few community spaces where intellectually disabled young adults can gather, connect, and experience genuine belonging. Many public environments leave them feeling out of place, leading them to retreat to passive, isolated activities at home.

Gather + Grounds was created to change that. A bistro by day and a gathering place by night, we offer a warm, inclusive environment for young adults with special needs and the broader community. During daytime hours, young adults build essential job skills; in the evenings, they can relax, socialize and enjoy time with friends.

H.O.M.E. Hub Richmond, a community mental health work-based training program run by the RSA Foundation, also operates inside the Gather + Grounds North building, Monday–Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Learn more here.

“We will gather the community together to cultivate and grow our most underserved population that lives among us.”
— Chef Mark Prentiss, CoFounder, Chef and Educator at Rising Stars Academy

Social emotional development, community acceptace and growth

Our Goals

  • Cultivate a safe, social place for young adults with intellectual disabilities to grow and learn.

  • Our beautiful spaces provides ample space for healthy social activities, such as coffee and conversation, music, exercise, nutrition, games and more.

  • Foster interaction, acceptance, and appreciation for people of all abilities. 

  • Provide barista and customer service training and bring local exposure to our bakery by selling its products.

  • Equip the general public with an excellent coffee and bistro for patronage and beautiful event space for rent where community members can host a team meeting or hold private events (capacity is 100 guests)