BURNABY, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwire) -- 12/06/12 -- At first glance, the latest cafe to call Burnaby home may seem like just another coffee shop, but Joe's Table is anything but.

A cafe named in honour of Peter and Stephanie Chung's late son Joseph, Joe's Table won't just serve coffee and baked goods, it will also serve hope for a better future for its employees. Tired of seeing their autistic son relegated to janitorial positions, the Chungs decided to open the cafe to give those like Joseph a chance to interact with the general public on a daily basis.

"Joe couldn't find a job. The only job he could really apply for was janitor's assistant, working in a stockroom somewhere," said Peter. "He was very good at organizing things... but it was contrary to his personality. He wanted to meet people, greet people. We know there are other people like Joseph. If they try to get a job that's the sort of thing they're going to end up with."

The coffee machines and types of food served at Joe's Table are being selected and designed to be easy for the employees to prepare and serve. The cafe hopes to employ approximately 20 people, with at least a fifth of those employees living with developmental disabilities.

"We don't want people to come to our coffee shop for sympathy, we want them to come for quality," says Peter.

Joe's Table also has a gallery area that will feature exhibits of artworks by seniors and people with disabilities.

Located at 5021 Kingsway, in Burnaby, Joe's Table is slated to open in mid-December, with a grand opening planned for the New Year.