New Courthouse Cafe is Rockland Independent Living Center's 2nd Business

There’s a new eatery open at the Rockland County Courthouse in New City, and it’s special in many ways.

The Independence Café on the second floor is a subsidiary of Rockland Independent Living Center. The Café was developed to provide employment opportunities to veterans and those with disabilities while at the same time offering a dining option within the Courthouse itself.

And it’s filling a real need. In an ideal location and food option for the employees of the County Courthouse as well as the nearby County Office building, the cafe has had brisk business from staff in the building, attorneys and jurors at the courthouse since its soft opening two weeks ago.

“We are proud to spearhead this initiative that provides a valuable service to visitors and employees of the courthouse and puts Veterans and individuals with disabilities back to work,” said Carlos Martinez, Director of Medicaid and Business Related Services, at the Jan. 29 ribbon-cutting.

Offerings at the Café include coffee, bagels, donuts, soups, pre-packaged sandwiches, salads, snack foods and cold beverages. It will soon offer for sale travel mugs with the Café logo and a barcode that allows customers to check out faster and pay via their credit card on file. Hours are 8:30 AM to 3 PM Monday through Friday.

The Independence Café is RILC’s second small business program; the first, Connections Contact Center opened in 2015 and provides call center solutions and other business support services to companies throughout the region and beyond and also employs veterans and individuals with disabilities.

On hand for the ribbon cutting were Carlos Martinez –RILC Director of Medicaid and Business Related Services, Lorraine Greenwell – Deputy Executive Director for RILC, George Hoehmann – Clarkstown Town Supervisor and Former RILC CEO & Executive Director, Ed Day – Rockland County Executive, Kenneth Zebrowski – NYS Assemblyman, Rockland County Clerk Paul Piperato, Rockland County DA Tom Zugibe, the Honorable Judge Bruce Tolbert, Judy Rosenthal, Director of Fiscal and Program Operations, Café staff Howard Olay and Tom Ochman, Business Consultant Walter Goldman, Chief Clerk John F. Hussey, Lt. Marcy Horbach and RILC Board Members Steven Breen and Howard Hellman.

The mission of Rockland Independent Living Center is to provide advocacy and leadership in the creation and development of an accessible and integrated community for people with disabilities, so that they may pursue lifestyles of their choice. For more information about the services provided by RILC visit www.rilc.org or call 845-624-1366.

PHOTOS/Rockland Independent Living Center