The Taste Buds Café is run by owner-operator Charlotta Hawkins out of the Labor and Industries Building basement in Salem. You may have gone to Taste Buds for coffee, vending products, or a grab-and-go meal. The café accepts cards through its kiosk system or through vending machines for greater convenience.
Charlotta has been in the Business Enterprise Program (BEP) since 1998, following a career as a medical transcriber. She loves being in food. “I am very proud of my job,” she said. “The Business Enterprise Program allows me to be a successful, independent, taxpaying Oregonian.”
Charlotta also explained how BEP had changed recently. “After the pandemic, all our cafeterias shut down and we began opening micro markets,” she said.
A micro market provides smaller, easier food options, such as snacks rather than cafeteria food.
“We have seven vending routes, six micro markets, and one snack bar deli at a national park – (all) operated by licensed blind vendors,” Charlotta said.
With a changing footprint and hybrid workforce, state government still presents plenty of opportunity for BEP through catering and boxed lunches and other micro-market options.
BEP Director Ron Stewart said one thing people could do to help is to get the word out about the program. Ron said he wants to grow BEP. He wants to see more locations with better opportunities for these individuals to earn a living and feed their families.
For more information, visit OCB at https://www.oregon.gov/blind or call 971-673-1588.