09/12/2024
Dear Friends of the Good People Café
The Board of Directors and leadership of Good People Café would like to thank our community for the generous support, encouragement, and patronage we have received over the past year. It is with a heavy heart that we announce that this Sunday, September 15th will be the final day of operation for Good People.
While we knew that our business model was unlikely to turn a profit, our sales numbers have not been sufficient to sustain the café even with our grants and fundraising efforts. This is simply the reality of the restaurant business and not a reflection of the quality or ability of any of our employees. They are and always will be amazing.
When we launched Good People Café as a non-profit organization, our goal was to provide meaningful opportunities for employment and community-building for individuals with disabilities. This has been at the heart of every decision we have made. While hindsight always shows us things we might have done differently, we are proud of what we accomplished during the run of the Café.
We provided job opportunities for an underserved population, many of whom found employment for the first time. Our employees gained confidence, experience, and new friends. Our customers had a place where they could meet new people, share new experiences, and find moments of joy with one another. Our community had the opportunity to participate in something worthwhile and life-giving at a time when there is so much hurt and division in the world.
Above all, we have proven that our employees are valuable, capable, and employable.
Thank you for making all of this possible. While we wish this were not the end, we find comfort in all the good we have accomplished together and the good things that will continue to grow out of this experience. The café will still be open Thursday and Friday from 11-8 and Saturday and Sunday from 8-2 through September 15th. We invite you to come out, celebrate what we’ve done together, and congratulate our employees for a job well done!
Sincerely,
Good People Board of Directors