Coffee shop's disabled employees harassed over viral feet-licking video, director says
"A nonprofit coffee shop that employs students and adults with intellectual, developmental and physical disabilities has received phone threats, angry emails and poor reviews online following a controversial video that went viral last week.
"Tim Herbel, executive director of Not Your Average Joe, told The Oklahoman his six coffee shops in the Oklahoma City metro have been blindsided following a fundraiser by Deer Creek High School students that included licking feet during its Wonderful Week of Fundraising event.
"Herbel said he wasn’t at the event and that the students themselves decide each year to pick a nonprofit as a recipient of the fundraiser.
"After Fox 25 published video from the fundraiser, Herbel said, it went viral and people started calling his coffee shops, which employ about 100 students and adults with various disabilities.
“'They call our stores and our friends with special needs usually answer the phones and they are being cussed out and called pedophiles,' Herbel said. 'One star reviews from all over the country. We’re not this well-funded machine that has all these dollars. We’re getting beat up. The kids are getting beat up.' ”
Article about the feet-licking:
Student Toe-Licking Fundraiser Sparks Investigation Into Oklahoma School