Congress Community Cafe opens at Congress Lake Park to employ people with disabilities

The Congress Community Cafe officially opened at Congress Lake Park on Saturday, offering paid work and training for people with developmental and other disabilities, officials and program representatives said.

The cafe is operated by Rockland Community Services, a parent-run organization that provides job coaching, employment and pre-employment services for people with disabilities. A program representative said the cafe has been operating for a few weeks and described its mission bluntly: “We're not serving coffee, we're serving opportunities.”

Councilman Mike Raziano (Ward 2) urged residents to stop by and support the cafe, noting an employee, John Luca, works at the new location. “It's a great place,” Raziano said, asking the public to “stop in and grab a water or a cookie” and back the effort.

Councilman Bob Axur (Ward 4) called the cafe “a wonderful addition to Congress Lake” and said he spoke on behalf of Senator Bill Weber at the ribbon-cutting. Axur thanked Supervisor George H. Homeman and the town of Clarkstown for providing the opportunity to showcase the program and praised the workers for the job skills they are developing.

Program leaders and elected officials framed the cafe as a stepping stone to broader employment opportunities for people of varying abilities, with organizers encouraging local businesses to consider hiring program participants. The representatives said the cafe began serving customers a few weeks earlier and that community support will be important to its ongoing sustainability.

The ribbon-cutting highlighted local investment in job training and inclusive employment; organizers invited the public to visit Congress Community Cafe at Congress Lake Park and support the staff and trainees.