Lattes, Chick-fil-A and opportunity: New Liquid Church café run by staff with disabilities

PARSIPPANY — The debut of yet another coffee shop may not sound like much of a story. But the Clean Water Cafe is not just another place to caffeinate and grab some Wi-Fi for breakfast or lunch.

Opened last week inside the Liquid Church's headquarters, a converted warehouse tucked into an office park near the Sheraton Parsippany, the cafe is run largely by adults with disabilities. Organizers with the church off Webro Road say the venture will offer paid employment and positive activity for a group too often ignored by the job market.

"Drink coffee, change the world" reads a neon sign on a cafe wall. The glass-enclosed space looks much like a contemporary coffee house − but larger, with 118 seats in all.

Expanding an existing program at the church, the store launched with a "soft opening" on Tuesday. It employs 19 people with disabilities. For barista Alicia Vitello, who has Down syndrome, it's her first paying job.

"It's fun," said Vitello, 34, of East Hanover. "I love the people."

Liquid Church is a nondenominational Christian congregation, with primary campuses in Parsippany and Mountainside and additional outposts in four other New Jersey counties. Helping people with disabilities is a core mission for the organization, as is work to help bring safe drinking water to communities around the world, said Sarah Nilsen, the cafe's director.

Hence the Clean Water Cafe's name. Profits will support Liquid Church's global missionary work to help the estimated 663 million people worldwide who lack access to reliable water., Nilsen said.

A good cause − and Chick-fil-A

The business' first customers last week were mostly members of the congregation, with a few exceptions.

"There were some Parsippany town workers here the other day," said Liquid Church Special Needs Director Kelly Henn. "One of them said this is better than Starbucks, which was a pretty great compliment."

They hope to spread the word about their mission and menu in the near future by delivering free coffee to some of their corporate neighbors on Sept. 27 and staging an official grand opening on Oct. 3. Meanwhile, the business is open to the public for regular hours 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

If the lattes and good works aren't motivation enough, here's another big reveal: Church management has partnered with Morris County's only Chick-fil-A restaurant in Morris Plains to offer a limited selection of the chain's signature favorites, including fried chicken sandwiches. The food is delivered in time for lunch in a hot box, but only available until the sandwiches cool or are sold out, whichever comes first.

A full range of coffee and other beverages are also on the menu along with baked goods, fruits and salads.

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Plans for the cafe date back to 2019, but the COVID-19 pandemic delayed implementation. All of Liquid Church's campuses regularly serve coffee and refreshments to the congregation after Sunday services. Church leaders realized the concept could be expanded to the public and create job opportunities for people who may struggle to find work.

"It's fair to say we have some people here who the job market overlooked," said Nilsen, who customizes job appointments and training to the strengths of each employee. The staff includes members who are hearing- or vision-impaired, some who are nonverbal and those dealing with other challenges.

Robby Brooks of Scotch Plains has Down syndrome, obsessive-compulsive disorder and other physical limitations, but has found opportunity at the Clean Water Cafe, said his mother, Lois Brooks, who also volunteers at the site.

"Robby is doing four-hour shifts, two days a week," she said. "All these things affect his ability to function. But Sarah is great at the training. And once he gets it, he's going to do it exactly the way Sarah wants it, which is a good thing."

"It's kind of fun," said Robby Brooks, 34, whose father, David, is the church's executive pastor in Parsippany. "I serve muffins and coffee."

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Some staff members were recruited through social-service agencies. Others responded to help-wanted ads on the Liquid Church website. All of the applicants undergo a standard job interview. Those who are hired are paid "market wages" and "equally across the board," church officials said.

The church was founded in 2007 by Pastor Tim Lucas, who said more than 4,500 people attend weekly services at its New Jersey locations and online.

People like the staff at the cafe "can change the world for good," Lucas said. "As customers at the Clean Water Cafe enjoy their favorite coffee, they will be providing hope and purpose to differently-abled friends through the joy of meaningful employment."

Robert Davison, CEO of the Mental Health Association of Essex and Morris, was unfamiliar with the Liquid Church, but liked what he heard about the Clean Water Cafe.

“Giving people, all people, the opportunity to work and become a valued member of their community is life-changing," Davison said. "Our brothers and sisters with disabilities deserve a seat at the table, all our tables. Not because doing so is politically correct, but because it raises all of us, the individual and the entire community."

William Westhoven is a local reporter for DailyRecord.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: wwesthoven@dailyrecord.com 

Twitter: @wwesthoven

This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: Liquid Church cafe in NJ run by workers with disabilities