Brother Andre’s Opens a Second Café in Bellevue

By Paula Green

Coffee and cookie enthusiasts now have a new destination to enjoy thanks to the recent opening of Brother Andre's second café in Bellevue. On Saturday, March 1, Brother Andre's celebrated its grand opening at its new location, below Regina Coeli—Assumption Church at 45 N. Sprague Street. In addition to coffee and cookies, the café offers a wide selection of sandwiches, scones, and seasonal lattes, all of which have become particularly popular.

What makes Brother Andre’s unique is its mission to employ adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The story began in 2019 when Mike and Terri Fitzgerald faced daily challenges in finding a job for their son, Patrick, who has autism. The family leaned on their strong faith and engaged in daily prayer, hoping that Patrick would find his way in the world and secure meaningful employment.

Mike and Terri conceived the idea of opening a café where Patrick could work and showcase his baking skills. The Fitzgeralds also aimed to provide meaningful employment for other adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. To bring their vision to life, they approached Father Chris Donley, a diocesan priest and co-founder of Move a Mountain Missions (MMM). He was eager to expand his mission, and the café seemed like the perfect opportunity to do so.

With the plans in place, Mike, Terri, Fr. Chris, their friend Dan Gallagher and Megan Donley Stella made the café a reality. The final challenge was finding the perfect name for their establishment. They decided to honor a saint who was dear to their hearts: Brother André Bessette. He faced difficulties in finding employment during his youth due to poor health; however, once he secured a job, he began to perform miracles as the doorkeeper of Notre Dame College in Montreal.

The first Brother Andre's opened its doors on October 2, 2021. The café is uptown at Epiphany Church, which is part of Divine Mercy Parish on Washington Place (next to PPG Paints Arena).  

"It has been such a blessing to witness the incredible growth of Brother Andre's! In a short time, we've gone from a small kiosk at the Epiphany Fish Fry—where my son Patrick was our only employee—to two beautiful, full-service cafés that now provide meaningful employment to 26 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Brother Andre's has been life-changing for us, our team members, and their families. Terri and I are honored to work alongside Father Chris Donley, Dan Gallagher, Megan Donley Stella, Bridgette Pepmeyer, Matt Pioch, Scott Huffmyer, and our incredible support staff. We are so excited to see where God continues to lead us on this journey," said Mike.

Brother Andre's employees genuinely enjoy their jobs. Patrick is the head baker and specializes in snickerdoodles. I can personally attest that Brother Andre's is an incredible workplace for adults with IDDs. It gives these folks a sense of purpose, and they form special bonds with one another. My husband Paul and I feel blessed that our son Nathan, who has autism, is a Brother Andre's team member at the new Bellevue location.   

If you're in the Uptown or Bellevue areas, be sure to visit one of the Brother Andre's Cafes. You’ll enjoy tasty coffee and great food while being greeted by the cheerful staff. Plus, your patronage supports Move a Mountain Missions, which helps raise funds and assist the most vulnerable individuals at home in Pittsburgh and abroad in Jamaica.