Circle of Friends Café Receives $5,000 Grant from Manasquan Bank to Support Employment of Adults with Intellectual Disabilities

LAKE COMO, NJ - Circle of Friends Café , a nonprofit that employs adults with intellectual disabilities, announced a $5,000 grant from Manasquan Bank . The café, which opened in early July, provides employment for 22 special-needs adults, offering them their first-ever jobs at a wage of $15.50 per hour. With an additional 18 adults on a waiting list, the café has quickly grown into a vital community resource, serving breakfast and lunch from 8 AM to 2 PM, Wednesday through Sunday.

The café is determined to remain open through the winter months to continue supporting its employees. Circle of Friends is relying on community donations, such as the one from Manasquan Bank, to make that possible. They have a GoFundMe account receiving donations at https://www.gofundme.com/f/kfn3a-circle-of-friends .

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Lake Como Councilwoman Heather Albala-Doyle, also a board member of Circle of Friends, expressed her gratitude for the grant, stating, “We are very grateful for the generous donation from Manasquan Bank and look forward to keeping our employees working in the off-season.”

Located at 1709 Main Street, the café operates on a property generously provided at no cost by Reggie Hyde, Managing Partner of Bar Anticipation . This collaboration with local business leaders and donors highlights the strong community support for Circle of Friends Café and its mission to provide meaningful employment opportunities for adults with intellectual disabilities.

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