No Limits Cafe Challenges the Limits of COVID-19

No Limits Café in Middletown, NJ is a place whose mission is to prove that anyone – including individuals with intellectual disabilities – is unstoppable. And while the COVID-19 pandemic may have abruptly paused operations at the popular café, its owners, workers, and supporters clearly remain driven to reopen it once there are no limits imposed by the quarantine.

No Limits Café was founded by Stephanie and Mark Cartier, whose adult daughter, Katie, has Down syndrome. The family is mindful of the fact that students with special needs can remain in the school system until the age of 21, after which they often face limited options for meaningful employment. Inspired by the news story that they saw about a Texas restaurant staffed by individuals with special needs, the Cartiers did their research, received guidance and advice, and opened a restaurant of their own near their home in New Jersey.

Their vision of creating a business where most of the workers are adults with intellectual disabilities immediately garnered support from throughout the community and ignited an overwhelming response. Information about No Limits Café soon began appearing everywhere in local, regional, statewide, and national news in magazines, newspapers, radio, and television. By February 2020, after months of dedicated training, the lovely, carefully-designed café was busily in the midst of its soft opening and had become a local favorite. There was a staff of 34 employees with intellectual disabilities, plus a manager and two chefs, every one of whom was being paid minimum wage and working full shifts. No tips are accepted, but patrons are invited to leave donations as they leave to support the café and its mission. Before opening its doors each morning, the enthusiastic staff would start their day together by doing a celebratory dance and then proceed to happily and skillfully serve their guests – some of whom were already becoming regulars. There were plans to expand the menu and the café hours. And then the coronavirus arrived, enforcing limits in ways that no one could have ever expected.

On March 14, the Cartiers – like so many other businesses – made the difficult decision to temporarily suspend the soft opening in the interest of keeping their employees, volunteers, and customers safe. Two weeks later, they shared a message on their website, explaining that they were sadly forced to lay off their amazing staff members, who unfortunately were ineligible for unemployment because they had not yet worked the required minimum length of time – and who continued to send loving messages to the Cartiers, saying how much they missed being able to work and asking when they could return.

Always mindful of others in the community and their motto to “Eat Well, Do Good,” the owners of No Limits Café donated all of their perishable food items to Lunch Break in Red Bank so that they could be used for other families in need. Whenever possible, they would don masks, create signs, and make drive-by visits to the homes of their beloved employees, dropping off packages with the homemade chocolate bread pudding that was a favorite item on the café menu. And they continually updated their website with posts expressing their gratitude to all the many people who had already shown such kindness in supporting the business and helping to establish the restaurant.

The celebratory spirit of No Limits Café could not be stunted by COVID-19, either. As the world became more accustomed to living in a virtual reality, Stephanie and Mark decided to host an online Zoom event as both a fundraiser and an opportunity to reconnect their staff members and supporters. On April 25, they presented “Live from No Limits Café – It’s Saturday Night!” The evening included live musical entertainment by the talented Quincy Mumford, a funny routine by the comedian Mike Reisman, touching conversations with some of the café employees, and a spirited virtual dance party by all the participants – which included an impressive audience of more than 400 families who were encouraged to come dressed for the occasion and enjoy some cocktails from home. Mark, Stephanie, and their daughter Katie served as the eloquent masters of ceremony, broadcasting from No Limits Café. Throughout the evening, they also held three prize drawings, randomly choosing 15 winners from the names of those who had registered for the online event. Gracious as always in their efforts to continue giving back to those who had assisted them, the Cartiers purchased generous gift cards from local restaurants and shops as prizes, allowing those businesses to receive support after being impacted by COVID. Vendor partners for the evening were Antoinette Boulangerie, The Cheese Cave, and Nicholas Wines of Restaurant Nicholas, who provided French pastries, cheese platters, and wines to event supporters and donated a percentage of their sales to No Limits Café.

Those who registered for the online celebration paid a suggested minimum donation of $30 for each household, with all proceeds going to the café. During the evening, the Cartiers also explained that $77 is the amount paid for one day’s salary for one café employee. They set a goal of raising $7,700 during the webcast through text donations. Within minutes, the contributions began pouring in and by the time everyone said their goodnights, the family was crying tears of joy. They had raised more than $45,000. If you missed it, or if you’d like to view it again, you can see “Live from No Limits Café – It’s Saturday Night!” by clicking the link on their website.

Throughout it all, the Cartiers and the rest of their café community have remained hopeful while planning a strategic reopening as soon as possible. As of mid-May, they were working towards being able to offer curbside pickup within a few weeks. For No Limits Café, there is sure to be additional time and cost required because of the staff retraining that will be necessary, and financial assistance is encouraged. As a small nonprofit with an operating budget that must cover salaries, food, utilities, and other expenses, donations are gratefully accepted and can be made online through the website at www.nolimitscafe.org.

In the days and weeks to come, remember to watch the No Limits Café website, emails, and Facebook page for updates on their eagerly-awaited reopening. And don’t forget to dance!