New Cafe to Open at the Franklin Lakes Community Center in October 2026 with Support from the Oritani Charitable Foundation
For individuals with autism, finding meaningful employment can be one of the biggest challenges of adulthood. In fact, an estimated 80% of autistic adults are unemployed or underemployed. At REED Autism Services, we believe changing that starts with creating more opportunities to gain real-world experience.
We’ve seen the impact of that approach at Greens Do Good, our hydroponic vertical farm in Hackensack. Since opening in 2019, the farm has provided hands-on job training and employment to hundreds of teens and adults with autism.
Now, we’re building on that model with Beans Do Good, a new cafe opening at the Franklin Lakes Community Center. The setting may be different, but the goal is the same.
“Beans Do Good is a natural extension of what we started with Greens Do Good and part of our larger commitment to closing the employment gap for individuals with autism,” said Chantelle Walker, CEO of REED Autism Services.
The cafe broadens the types of job training REED can offer thanks in part to a generous grant from the Oritani Charitable Foundation. As its president Jack Fields explained, “We’ve been very impressed with what REED has done. We saw firsthand how Greens Do Good grew from an idea into a working farm that is genuinely helping people. We were there early on, and we wanted to be part of Beans Do Good from the beginning.”
At Beans Do Good, participants will take on a range of responsibilities, from making and serving beverages to stocking supplies and interacting with customers. The cafe will serve gourmet coffee, tea, smoothies, and light bites, and will open its doors to the public in early October.
“My hope is that people come in for a good cup of coffee and leave inspired by what they see happening here,” added Fields.
Click here to learn more and find hours of operation.
