News

Friendship Cafe opening in Florida to employ adults with special needs

Provided

January 9, 2020

The Friendship Circle Fort Lauderdale is opening The Friendship Cafe, a Mediterranean fast casual restaurant that trains and employs adults with autism, down syndrome and other special needs. Located at 1306 E. Las Olas Blvd., in Fort Lauderdale, Mayor Dean Trantalis is hosting a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony at 1 p.m., Wednesday.

"The Friendship Cafe is an exciting community project, and I am truly thrilled by the idea of a restaurant that serves great food made with love by our special needs adults," Dean Myerow, a local cannabis entrepreneur and adviser to the Friendship Circle, said in a company press release. "After being introduced to The Friendship Circle and their impact on the community through my teenagers, who regularly volunteer, I began attending weekly programming.  The café expands the potential to do good, one of the core values of the organization."

The 700-square foot cafe was created out of two former restaurant spaces that had been vacated on Las Olas, and the vision was executed by Bill Feinberg, president of Allied Kitchen & Bath, whose firm donated time and materials to the project. The restaurant will feature a warm and cozy French country theme designed by international interior designer, Perla Lichi of Perla Lichi Designs, according to the press release.

Chef Yoram Getter, the owner of several restaurants in Israel, is the creative force behind the menu that includes falafel platters, falafel pitas, hummus platters, vegetarian shawarma, fresh salads, coffee, pastries  and sandwiches.  When Yoram heard about the cafe employing adults with special needs, he was compelled to be a major facet of the restaurant as he has a nephew with special needs.  

The cafe hopes to broaden its ability to employ more special needs adults as the restaurant becomes self-sustaining. Elizabeth Camp, the special needs program coordinator, has been actively training the special needs adults alongside the cafe's professional restaurant staff, Feinberg said. The offering was conceptualized by Alex Rabino and Ana Silva of Netspot USA, along with all logistical procedures to support the special needs team members they hire.

"We are so lucky to have found someone who has the skill set and personality to know what it takes to train special needs adults to integrate into the workforce. We are living miracles here," Feinberg said.

The organization is actively seeking individual volunteers and corporate partners that are passionate about helping those with special needs and to further the mission.