Beckie Schwartz believes that every young adult, regardless of ability, should have the opportunity to find a meaningful job. Oftentimes, companies that hire young adults with diverse abilities don’t offer many opportunities for career advancement and social interaction, she said.
After recognizing this need in the community, Schwartz founded Noah’s Agape Cafe, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) faith-based coffee shop in Fruit Cove that provides employment and vocational training for young adults of all abilities. She opened the cafe four years ago and runs it with the help of her husband and co-owner, Sam Schwartz, their 19-year-old son, Noah, who has Down syndrome, and the wonderful volunteers who devote their time.
Volunteers get matched with jobs depending on their abilities and enjoy learning new skills and becoming a part of Noah’s close-knit community. The volunteers get to assist with cooking, making drinks, running the register, cleaning and welcoming guests. Noah’s Agape Cafe has worked with several programs including vocational rehabilitation to provide vocational training and teach valuable life skills for future careers.
Noah’s Agape Cafe is moving to their forever home, a beautiful 100-year-old historic house near Alpine Groves Park, just 3.8 miles from their current location. The cafe is set to open at the end of the year and is currently undergoing renovations. Much like their original home, it is designed to be a welcoming space where customers can spend time with friends, work, study and host community events.
The way the community gathers is so sweet, Schwartz said. Many of their longtime customers have become like family. Schwartz and her family have visited customers in the hospital and customers have helped them by volunteering their time, offering support during loss and assisting with fundraising. Schwartz said that she has enjoyed celebrating milestones with their customers and seeing families grow over the years.
Schwartz and her family are excited for the opening of their new location. To raise funds, Noah’s will have a garage sale on Oct. 4 from 5 to 6 p.m. at their current location at 102 State Road 13 in Fruit Cove. On Oct. 11, they will host Noah’s Birthday Carnival FUNdraiser at their new location at 2040 State Road 13 in Switzerland from noon to 4 p.m. Guests will get to enjoy carnival games, food and treats, prizes, raffles, music and more. Volunteers, monetary donations and prayers are always appreciated as Noah’s prepares a new place for the community to gather.
To lean more, purchase tickets and give, go to https://www.noahsagapecafe.org.
