Opportunity knocks for local nonprofit
The Arc of Monmouth WOC to open café in Long Branch
BY CHRISTINE VARNO Staff Writer

The Arc of Monmouth's Work Opportunity Center on Warburton Place in Long Branch.

LONG BRANCH — When opportunity came knocking at the door of a local nonprofit, the organization jumped at the chance to expand its services to the community.

The Arc of Monmouth's Work Opportunity Center (WOC) in Long Branch learned last year that the state was offering a grant for provider agencies that would be used to fund a small business to be owned and operated by the people an agency served.

The WOC applied for the grant and in April was notified that they would receive a $600,000 grant to fund the Opportunity Knocks Café project.

"I feel that the café would offer many opportunities to just about everyone who attends WOC," said Linda Porter, director of the vocational services for The Arc of Monmouth. "We appreciate the funding and hope this leads WOC, our workers and the new owners into a bright future."

The WOC, located on Warburton Place, is a unit within The Arc of Monmouth that provides a variety of services to adults and high school students with cognitive and developmental disabilities to help them attain their maximum vocational potential.

The grant, from the New Jersey Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services, will help the WOC open a luncheonette at its Long Branch location that will be fully staffed and owned by individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities.

"Many of the people served at WOC cannot travel safely in the community alone, which limits their everyday interactions in the community," Porter said. "If you do not bring a bagged lunch to work, the only other options WOC workers have are to purchase lunch from a lunch truck that comes to the building or order from a local deli that delivers.

"Although the truck and deli do help, the food is typically fried or in gravy, somewhat expensive, does not always come in time for their 30-minute lunch break and is really not too healthy," she said. "We plan to offer a healthier choice of items than most eateries."

The idea behind the café is not only to serve as a training resource, but to also keep people safe and healthy, Porter said, adding that food options at the café will include, among other things, salads, soups and sandwiches.

WOC has approximately 160 individuals and 25 staff members in the building Monday through Friday and Porter said that the organization thought that an accessible café that addresses healthy eating choices would be a win-win situation for the WOC and the community.

Both the staff and individuals served at WOC are eager to get the project under way, according to Porter, who said that the organization has hired a business developmental specialist, identified the location within the WOC building for the café and sought out bids for the renovations that will need to be done.

Officials at the WOC also met with the city of Long Branch's Board of Health to introduce the project and get guidance as to the different codes and requirements that must be met.

At this point, Porter said she does not know the total cost of the project but said the grant money will hopefully cover the costs over a three-year period, at which time the business is to be self-sufficient.

"This is a wonderful opportunity for the individuals we serve to become owners of a business," said Mary Scott, The Arc's executive director. "The luncheonette will also provide new training options at WOC."

The WOC is a 30,000-square-foot building that has a large cafeteria, and plans call for the office located in the back of the cafeteria to be renovated in order to house the café.

The WOC also conducted a survey to find out what people would like to see at the café and ran a contest in order to select the café's name, coming up with Opportunity Knocks Café as the winner.

Eight people that served at the WOC who have the long-term goal of community employment are being trained to work in the café.

"WOC is committed to helping people to become as vocationally independent as possible," Porter said. "We help the people who attend the program realize their vocational dreams as much as possible."

The café will be designed as a worker cooperative model and guided by WOC. First, the WOC will work on the renovations and city requirements for the business and then they will begin to interview for two potential owners who will learn to run the café.

Potential candidates for the job will not only come from the WOC, but also from The Arc's employment department, according to Porter.

The owners of the café will be trained by job coaches from The Arc's employment department, and additional help will also be hired to prepare and serve food, clean up and working the register.

If the owners can make the business profitable, the owners will make money, she said, explaining that if the café grows to the point that other WOC workers can buy into it, it is possible that dividends could be paid to those workers as well.

"We are hopeful that the café is a success and grows," Porter said. "I know we are dreaming big here, but we are hopeful that the café thrives and becomes a success."

The funding from the state is only for three years, at which time the owners will take over the role without a staff person designated to oversee every step of the operation, according to Porter.

The mission of The Arc of Monmouth, based in Tinton Falls, is to improve the lives of the persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. The Arc believes that its goal is accomplished through advocacy, services and supports, cooperation with community partners and community education.

Services of The Arc's WOC unit include vocational evaluation, work adjustment training, extended employment and prevocational training.

In order to facilitate upward mobility, goals and objectives are individually determined by an interdisciplinary team. The goals are based on the following concepts of normalization; person centered planning, consumer satisfaction and self-determination.

The individual plans and programs are the focus toward an increase in the vocational skills and to the attainment of eventual job placement in the community. For more information, visit www.arcofmonmouth.org.