Limitless Possibilities: Stephanie & Mark Cartier Working to Crack an Often-Overlooked Glass Ceiling

FEATURED PHOTO: Stephanie and Mark Cartier | CREDIT: Carmela Caracappa Photography

The building stands out, not only for its color and bright logo, but for the intention behind the business. The new-concept eatery, called No Limits Cafe, is a luncheonette and 501(c)(3) employing and training people with intellectual disabilities. Their motto, Eat Well – Do Good, encapsulates co-founders Stephanie and Mark Cartier’s desire to have the community frequent the restaurant not only for the food, but to support an often-forgotten population.

The reality is only 20% of people with intellectual disabilities (ID) are employed, and those who are often are paid below minimum wage. Add in the fact that very few restaurants hire or even consider people with such challenges and you have a perfect storm for limited access to work.

“When young adults age out of the educational system at 21, they have few opportunities at meaningful employment,” shared Mark. “This time in someone’s life is called ‘falling off the cliff’. A few years back, we realized that our daughter, Katie, would likely fall off the proverbial cliff, so we decided to do something. We looked at various businesses, but settled on the restaurant idea.”

No strangers to having an impact in the community, both Mark and Stephanie are involved in their church, St. Catharine’s in Holmdel, and have both advocated for children with ID. Mark has been involved in Rally Cap Sports (RCS) since the early 2000s. RCS is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing recreational sports programs for people with special needs. The sports include baseball, football, tennis, soccer, basketball, volleyball, and golf. While for eight years Stephanie was the co-chair of Middletown Friends of Diverse Learners (MTFODL), the state mandated special education advisory group required in all school districts. She worked as a liaison between parents of special education students and the school administration to better the special education programs and to promote inclusion within the schools.

“Monmouth County is a wonderful place to raise your children; so many parks and beaches,” said Stephanie. “But Monmouth County is also a great place to raise a child with special needs, as there are a lot of outside of school activities that a child with disabilities can be a part of. FRA (Family Resource Associates), Rally Cap Sports, Dance with Jay, Karate with Jay, Dorbrook Park Special Needs Activities and Camp, and that’s just to name a few.”

The local community is also proving to be a great place for adults with special needs, as many local business owners and neighbors are not only in favor of the No Limits Cafe but are pitching in to help wherever they can.

A big fan of the movie The Breakfast Club, Stephanie relates to the inclusive theme of the film where a group of students thrown together in a Saturday detention learn to find common ground. Encouraged by the idea that different types of people can find they are more alike than different, she is hoping to take her movement of inclusivity beyond the doors of their restaurant.

“What we hope to achieve is the ‘multiplier effect’,” said Stephanie. “The unemployment rate is 80% for people with Intellectual Disabilities. By opening No Limits Cafe, we can help to change that by hiring 33 employees with ID. The multiplier effect will be our Phase II in which we will train others with ID that don’t work at our café in an evening program. We have a community liaison that will go to other local restaurants to see if they will hire someone we train. We will then continue to support any employees that are hired in other places.”

“Don’t limit me,” has become more than an inspiring quote to the Cartier family. Katie, now a sophomore in college, pushes the boundaries of what is expected as her parents work tirelessly to give similar opportunity to others with ID.