At SimplyBe, we hope to share the love of Jesus Christ with everyone who walks through our doors and encourage our staff to SimplyBe themselves…fearfully and wonderfully made! SimplyBe Coffee is a quaint coffee shop located in downtown Leesburg that employees people with disabilities. We are unique in that sense, but in many other ways, too.

This past year, we were blessed when 11-year-old Zohaib Begg came to us looking for a community service project he could do in the town of Leesburg. He contacted us, stating, “I do many community service projects in the area that help other youth and those who may be disadvantaged. To date, I have done many projects, like helping frontline workers, the unhoused, children battling childhood cancer, and senior citizens battle loneliness. My work has been recognized by leaders and government officials like President Bush and Obama.”

We were astonished that a child like this not only found SimplyBe and wanted to help but had already done so much for our community in his 11 years. Zohaib wanted to put a kindness cart in the play area at SimplyBe and explained the concept to us: it is a cart filled with toys, books, puzzles, and games of a particular theme each month. Anyone visiting the coffee shop can play with all the toys and leave their names in a jar after they are done playing with the toys and put them away. At the end of the month, SimplyBe staff will draw a name, and all the items in the cart will be donated to one family. Zohaib continues, “The following month, I will replace all the items with a different theme.”

We felt the kindness cart was not only completely in line with our mission but also the perfect fit for our children’s play area at SimplyBe, where parents may take a break without worrying about their children playing, something that is not always easy to find in Leesburg.

At SimplyBe, we employ individuals with disabilities, providing opportunities where they may contribute and grow their unique strengths. Here, they are valued, visible, and connected. We cannot think of a better way to show this than through Zohaib’s kindness cart, and we want to thank him publicly for his kindness and generosity. Thank you, Zohaib!

Read more about some of Zohaib’s community projects and impacts here: www.zohaibhelps.us