Provided/From left, Hard Rock General Manager Mike Sampson, Hard Rock President George Goldhoff, Boys and Girls Club Director of Hospitality Pam Green, baristas Trenasia and Jeremiah, B&GC CEO Dr. Charles A. Wallace III and barista Ty (pictured in the window).
ATLANTIC CITY - The Boys & Girls Club of Atlantic City officially opened Club Café Tuesday, Oct. 3. Club Café is a social enterprise that provides employment opportunities for young adults ages 18 to 24. Under the direction of Executive Chef Pam Green, staff are trained as baristas and cooks, learning marketable skills and credentials for the workforce.
Club Café, 317 N. Pennsylvania Ave., is open 7 a.m. to noon weekdays serving coffee and light fare, breakfast sandwiches and muffins.
This is a workforce development track, Director of Hospitality Intiatives Pam Green said. These are young adults that either have never had a job, have very little experience or are underemployed. We take them on, they become SERVSafe® certified."
Participants learning how to take care of others and themselves.
"This is a steppingstone to going out into the world. We already have other businesses telling us, Send us your kids when you're done with them.' This is not meant to be the end; it's meant to be the beginning of the staircase," she said.
Club Café was made possible by a generous gift from the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.
Hard Rock is proud to support the Boys & Girls Club of Atlantic City with the Club Café opening that provides hands-on experience and training for the youths in our community. This program is an excellent opportunity for these young adults to gain invaluable work experience and we hope that everyone in the community comes out to support them. We applaud their efforts, President George Goldhoff said.
Club Café was also made possible by grants and contributions from the Community FoodBank of NJ, HayDay Coffee, Charles Gianakos Enterprises LLC, the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, and the Atlantic City Police Foundation.
