Dalian sets up the first coffee shop for people with intellectual disabilities in China.

As the first coffee shop for the mentally handicapped in China, Youlan Cafe, located in Zhongshan District of Dalian, has attracted much attention since its opening. From the outside, "Youlan Cafe" is nothing special, but the "Dalian mentally handicapped activity Service Center" sign hanging at the door gives it a deeper connotation. The coffee shop officially opened on August 12 last year, and the "Youlan Foundation" set up by the Dalian Youth Development Foundation is the advocate and supporter of this public welfare project, hence the name "Youlan Cafe".

The activity service center for the mentally handicapped has an area of more than 600 square meters and has a total of three floors, which can accommodate 30 to 50 people with intellectual disabilities to engage in leisure activities, and provide humanized services with different characteristics, such as emotional support, physical training, skills training, and so on. Most of the 18 employees in the store are mentally handicapped. Although they are mentally handicapped and the language is awkward, they clean, serve tea, pour water, and greet the guests. These people with intellectual disabilities are still meticulous, showing their sincerity everywhere.

The decoration design of the coffee shop is unique and warm: the "special introduction" on the coffee table is handwritten by children with intellectual disabilities; the "Chinese disabled" is placed on the bookshelf; and the motto "convey love and make the heart happy" on the wall is very conspicuous. On one wall, there is a letter to the guests: "We are 'one-winged angels' from heaven." Unfortunately, I broke my wings on the way here, but I still have the dream of flying. "

Su Fang, a 24-year-old manager of the coffee shop, likes to be called "Boss Su". Since the opening day of the coffee shop, Su Fang has lived in the shop every day. He regards the shop as his home and the business in the shop as his business. As a patient with Down syndrome, Su Fang has made extraordinary efforts to realize his dreams of becoming a world champion of the Special Olympics, holding solo concerts, and helping other mentally handicapped children. He used his own experience to prove that mentally retarded people can also have dreams.

When we arrive at the store at 9 o'clock every day, the waiters will change into uniform clothes, and every waiter cherishes the work here for fear that the guests will not like them. Everything seems to be all right now, and the guests are very polite and patient with them. Wang Xin is a particularly budget-conscious waitress. He collects old newspapers and mineral water bottles from the store to sell money, and uses his first month's salary to buy cake for his 83-year-old grandfather.

Youlan Cafe has now become an outlet for Dalian people to express their love. The room of more than 600 square meters is provided free of rent by kind-hearted people; the piano donated by the piano school is placed on the first floor, and teachers regularly come to teach young people with intellectual disabilities to play the piano; there are many works donated by Dalian painters and calligraphers on the wall; billiards, printers and other equipment are also donated by kind-hearted people; strangers will send cakes and rice noodles during the New year; design mascots and create songs for them "Angel Baby".

Xin Hongbo is a rare able-bodied person in Youlan Cafe. He is in charge of making coffee and milk tea. Speaking of his mentally retarded colleagues, he shows his heartfelt love for them: they are innocent, carefree, laugh very happily, "it is really happy to be with them."

Since the Youlan Cafe has been open for 8 months, more and more citizens have accepted them. "at first, customers find that the waiter is mentally handicapped and often seems unnatural." But now, more and more citizens are willing to bring their children and friends to come here to communicate with children with intellectual disabilities, and some even do volunteer work here. The coffee shop has successfully held four "birthday gifts". Parents take their children and young people with intellectual disabilities to make dumplings, games and parties together. At the end of each event, children and parents will burst into tears. 'i will spend the New year with them as long as I am in Dalian, 'said a Dalian citizen over 50. "what these mentally handicapped children really need is spiritual comfort and the understanding and tolerance of normal people. Youlan Cafe provides such a place."