Anyone who’s ever worried about a loved one’s future knows the weight of that anxiety. For Maureen Stanko, it hit hardest at 3 a.m., lying in bed, thinking about her 20-year-old son Nick. Nick, who is on the autism spectrum, was approaching the end of his school years, and Maureen couldn’t help but ask herself, “What’s going to happen to him?”
“It’s like it’s coming, it’s like impending now,” she said.
In Pennsylvania, students with disabilities can stay in school until age 22, but what comes after that is often unclear and stressful for families. Stanko recalled something her father used to say: “When you have a problem, pray like hell then get up off your knees and do something.” That’s when a simple, powerful phrase popped into her mind: So Much to Give.
She brought her hopes, and fears, to Nick’s therapist, Tyler Kammerle, who shared his dream of opening a restaurant that employed people with disabilities. Together with philanthropist Kathy Opperman, they turned that vision into reality. Two years later, So Much To Give was no longer just a mantra, it was a café.
The So Much To Give Inclusive Café opened its doors in Cedars, Pennsylvania in January 2023. Today, it employs 63 people, 80% of whom have disabilities. Staff work proudly as greeters, food runners, sous chefs, dishwashers, and servers. And the magic of the café doesn’t end at the kitchen.
“We never even took Nick to a restaurant before this café opened,” Stanko shared. “It wasn’t worth it. We would spend all this money to go out to eat to be completely stressed out. This café has taught Nick how to sit in a restaurant. Because now we have a place to go, where if he stands up and starts hopping like a bunny or clapping or yelling, nobody cares.”
And Nick? He’s thriving. Despite extreme food allergies, he helps set up the café before it opens.
“I actually brought him here on Wednesday because his school was closed and he set this entire room up without me saying a word,” Stanko said proudly. “And the level of pride in him was just incredible.”
Among the smiling faces at the café is Lauren Oppelts, a hostess who is hearing impaired and teaches sign language at the restaurant.
“I mean, if you would have asked me over a year ago, two years ago that I would be a hostess, a server, I wouldn’t have believed you,” she said. “Because I have grown so much self-confidence. A lot of these employees I’ve known since the very, very beginning and the growth I see in them, it’s just mind-blowing.”
But Stanko’s vision didn’t stop with the café. Right across the street, she opened the Inspiration Studio, a creative space where people with disabilities can learn music, life skills, crafts, and more.
“I did originally think that So Much To Give was all about Nick and others with different abilities,” she reflected. “And what I’ve learned through this whole process is that it’s not just about Nick and other people with disabilities. Everybody has so much to give.”
In a world that often overlooks people with disabilities, this cozy café and its big-hearted team are reminding everyone of a simple truth: When given a chance, every person can shine.
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