Dear Editor –
Northeast Arc recently experienced the generosity of the North Shore community when Breaking Grounds, Northeast Arc’s coffee shop on Main Street in Peabody that trains people with disabilities to work in the food service industry, was forced to close temporarily. On May 10, a fire in one of the residential units above Breaking Grounds caused significant water damage to the cafe. We are grateful that none of our staff, individuals, or patrons were injured. Companies, foundations, and individuals from all our communities came through and continue to come through to help us rebuild.
We are also thankful to The Daily Item for helping us spread the word that Breaking Grounds would have to close. Initially, we were hoping that we would be able to reopen quickly, but it is likely we won’t be able to do so until the end of June.
During this time, cafe employees will be compensated by Northeast Arc. Unfortunately, interns in the Project Perk program will have to put their job training on hold, though each is being supported by other Northeast Arc programs during this time.
The bright side of the closure is how quickly people responded with offers to help. We are grateful that to date, we have received many donations to help support our reopening efforts. While we are grateful to every donor, I would like to acknowledge those that made significant contributions to help rebuild Breaking Grounds and support the inclusive employment opportunities Northeast Arc provides, including Eastern Bank Foundation, Becca Gould, Groom Construction, Highland Street Foundation, North Shore Bank, Michael Paglia, Claire C. Sanford, the Charles E. Harwood Trust, Kona Yuki, and the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts Independent Order of Odd Fellows (Bass River Lodge and Summit Encampment #41).
We are making every effort to keep the public informed on the expected reopening date and are posting updates at https://ne-arc.org/rebuilding-breaking-grounds.
Again, I, and everyone at Northeast Arc thank you for your concern and support. We look forward to seeing you back at Breaking Grounds soon!
Sincerely,
Jo Ann Simons
President & CEO
Northeast Arc
