Rowan College of South Jersey (RCSJ) and Vineland Public Schools (VPS) recently celebrated the grand opening of the College’s Together Café with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The Together Café is not only a place for RCSJ’s community members to get some good eats and treats, it also provides opportunities for students with disabilities to gain real world experiences.  ​

RCSJ’s Adult Center for Transition (ACT) students are interns that get to learn the ins and outs of what it takes to run a café. The ACT program offers young adults with disabilities the vocational, educational, and social skills necessary for them to become independent and contributing members of society.  

Additionally, the College partnered with VPS and its Reaching Independence through Structured Experiences (R.I.S.E.) program to help expand the café’s workforce. R.I.S.E. is a program at Vineland High School that is designed to ease students (age 18-21 in transition from school to work) into a supported work environment in a safe, secure, and monitored capacity.  

 “It is truly an honor to stand before you today as we celebrate this incredible milestone, the official grand opening of the Together Café – a place of opportunity, empowerment, and community,” said Teri Godlewski, executive director, student services, VPS. 

The purpose of the Together Café is to create job training and employment opportunities for individuals with physical and developmental disabilities and to promote their inclusion in all aspects of community life.  

“The café is a place where our students can develop valuable skills, gain hands-on experience, and build confidence in their abilities,” Godlewski said. “It’s a space where their talents shine and where the community recognizes the ability rather than the disability.  

“It will teach responsibility, teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills that will serve them for a lifetime. More importantly, it will show the world what they are capable of when given the chance to succeed.”  

The existence of the Together Café also solved​ a challenge for the College, according to Dr. Guy Davidson, dean, Academic Advancement & Special Services, RCSJ.  

“RCSJ needed to find a better solution to providing food service at the Cumberland campus,” Davidson said. “We knew that we had a successful model at the Gloucester campus​ that relies on the ACT program’s partnership with the Gloucester County Special Services School District to do just that. That’s where we opened our first Together Café three years ago.”  

The Cumberland campus Together Café is open Monday-Thursday from 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Right next door to the popular Zen Den, it serves a variety of affordably priced, grab-and-go snacks and beverages along with breakfast sandwiches, soups, salads, pizza, plus more.  

RCSJ aligned with VPS’s food service provider, Sodexo, to supply the tasty treats found on the menu.  

“Quite simply, without food that people want and can afford, there is no Together Café. We appreciate Sodexo figuring out a way to make this project work,” Davidson said. “Clearly, Sodexo understands that our mission is an important one and has been working with us to support it.” 

Several people at the ribbon-cutting, including Dr. James Piccone, lauded the collaborative effort from multiple parties to bring the idea of the café to fruition.  

“I really appreciate our partnership with Vineland Schools,” said Piccone, vice president and chief administrative officer, RCSJ. “I appreciate Ramon [Casanova, executive director, ACT, RCSJ] and Dr. Davidson and [VPS] Superintendent [Alfonso] Llano [for making] this all happen. Our students are learning great skills that will help them in the workplace in the future.  

“Let’s move together through education as well as training our students to be great citizens as well as [great] workers in the workforce.” 

“We had lots of folks across the partnership [including Stacy Zentz, transition coordinator, R.I.S.E., VPS] who have dedicated a lifetime to working with students with disabilities committed to the task of making this a successful venture,” Davidson added. “We’re making it work for all of us…together.” 

The student workers, who are the most important part of the partnership, shared some of the real-world lessons they are learning. 

“The Together Café is an amazing place to work,” said Raquel Harris, second-year ACT student and emcee of the ceremony. “I have worked at the Together Café since spring of 2024. The staff here are very helpful, and they try to mirror our experience [here] to get us ready for future development.” 

“Some of our jobs are working the cash register, inventory, food prep, and cleaning,” she continued. “My favorite jobs are making parfaits and working on the register. I look forward to learn[ing] more life skills at the Together Café and making lifelong connections.”  

Christian Maldonado, a R.I.S.E. student said: “It is important to be friendly and polite to our customers, make fresh and delicious foods and drinks, and keep everything nice and sanitized. We are very proud of all we have learned over the past years and are excited for all of the new experiences to come.  

“I enjoy working at the Together Café because I get to put a smile on people’s faces. When they come in … it makes my heart happy. I love my job!” 

The Together Café has a unique opportunity to feed our bellies while also feeding our souls.  

“For our community, this [café] is a reminder of what inclusivity means,” Godlewski said. “When we support the [café], we are not purchasing a product, we are investing in potential, celebrating diverse abilities, and reinforcing the value of every individual.” 

To learn more about Rowan College of South Jersey’s Together Café visit RCSJ.edu/Café or find out more about RCSJ’s Adult Center for Transition program at RCSJ.edu/ACT. 

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