Facing unique pandemic challenges, Good Day Cafe remains committed to ‘coffee with a cause’

Since it opened in 2018, State College’s Good Day Cafe has been serving up “coffee with a cause,” and that’s still the goal despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Hamilton Square Shopping Center cafe employs adults with special needs, a group with an 80% unemployment rate nationwide. The cafe is a branch of Strawberry Fields, a local nonprofit dedicated to helping people with disabilities.

Fran McDermid, director of program operations for Strawberry Fields, said that while the coffee shop has been popular since it opened, the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted unforeseen challenges.

“Similar to many other restaurants and cafes, it’s just a hard time to be in this business,” McDermid said. “At our cafe, we’ve been very strict about the (COVID-19) precautions because our staff are in the high-risk category.”

Those precautions included furloughing much of the staff for their safety. Many staff members live in group homes, making it more difficult to social distance.

“It’s not the same with even one person out,” McDermid said. “It’s a different dynamic. It’s like if a member of your family is missing, you notice it.”

And the community has noticed it, too. Susan Delafield, Good Day Cafe manager, said customers are aware of the struggles facing the coffee shop, and have come out to show their support with takeout purchases, online ordering or using the outdoor seating.

“With everything going on with COVID-19, it’s been a little difficult, and we haven’t been able to bring back our full staff yet,” Delafield said. “But the support of the community has been everything to us. We have a strong base of regulars that are here every day and want to make sure we succeed.”

Because of this community support, McDermid said business is trending upward, and management is proactively trying to bring back every employee.

For many who work at Good Day Cafe, the position is much more than a job. It’s a source of pride and accomplishment. With such a staggering unemployment rate, it’s something many people with disabilities are unable to experience in their lifetime.

“It comes down to purpose,” Delafield said. “When you have a job, you feel useful and you feel like you’re filling a need. I think that’s a really special feeling for everyone, but especially if you haven’t had that before.”

Good Day Cafe is following all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention protocols to ensure the safety of customers and staff. McDermid wants the community to know that the doors of the cafe are open. She said every customer makes a difference in the lives of people with special needs in the area.

“Their $3 cup of coffee is going for something even greater than just the cup of coffee,” McDermid said. “It’s going for a greater mission.”

For a list of updated business hours, visit www.gooddaycafe.org.

This story was originally published December 1, 2020 at 7:53 AM.