Mission Statement...
To open and operate a restaurant, gift shop, and training center dedicated to the employment of developmentally disabled and cognitively impaired adults age 26 and over in Wexford, Missaukee, & Osceola Counties.
News & Developments...
posted December 15, 2011
BENEFACTOR PROGRAM ANNOUNCED
For individuals and groups that desire to play a primary role in the mission to employ special needs adults in the Cadillac area, consider the After 26 board benefactor program. With a minimum $2000 donation, your name will be prominently displayed on the After 26 Depot benefactor plaque. In addition your name will be listed on the benefactor page on the web site, and upon opening the cafe, on table topper signs at the After 26 Depot. Click here for more information.
posted November 29, 2011
LEASE SIGNED WITH THE AMVET
It's official, the home of the After26 Restaurant & Unique Gift Shop will be the AMVET building at 127 West Cass in downtown Cadillac. Numerous renovations are now underway, the target date for opening is June 1, 2012. Click here to view the story as reported on MInews26 TV. The AMVET building, located at the corner of Cass and Lake Street, is the original Ann Arbor Railroad Depot which opened for business in 1911.
posted November 29, 2011
LEASE SIGNING COVERED BY REGIONAL MEDIA
The news conference held on 11-29-11 to announce and hold the official signing of a 20-year lease between the After26 Project and the AMVET was covered by the Cadillac News, 9 & 10 News, and MInews26. Click here to to view the story as reported on 9 & 10 News.
posted October 5, 2011
PIONEER CONSTRUCTION HIRED AS DESIGN / PROJECT MANAGERS
The After 26 Project board of directors has voted to hire Pioneer Construction for the design and renovation of the AMVET Building at 127 West Cass in Cadillac, which will be the home of the After 26 Cafe' & Unique Gift Shop. The After 26 board of directors is especially pleased that Afghanistan war veteran, architect and Cadillac resident Paul Gaffke will oversee the entire project from start to finish. Paul Gaffke is a senior architect at Pioneer Construction, which is based in Grand Rapids.
posted August 12, 2011
$75,000 grant awarded by the USDA
After 26 is thrilled to announce the United States Department of Agriculture has awarded a $75,000 grant to the After 26 Project! It means we will be able to open the restaurant and fulfill our mission of providing 30 special needs jobs. Much work remains and we are still in need of funding, but our goal is within reach. Special thanks to Allen Anderson and Caroline Evans of the Traverse City office of the USDA! Click here to view press release.
posted September 9, 2010
New Video released
click here to view the After 26 Project video
(PLEASE NOTE * video is 6:58 in length-could take up to 5 minutes to load - please be patient)
posted August 27, 2010
$10,000 donation
Thanks to a generous gift from Bill and Clarice Bryan of Cadillac, the After 26 Project has taken a giant step forward. It’s hard to articulate how much we appreciate this donation, and what it means to the After 26 Project. Heartfelt thanks to Bill and Clarice Bryan for their $10,000 dollar donation.
More about the After 26 Project...
After 26 is a non-profit 501c-3 corporation dedicated to providing training and employment opportunities for developmentally disabled and cognitively impaired adults 26 years of age or older. In Michigan, after 26 years of age, special needs individuals can no longer attend public schools. For these individuals and their families, what to do next is a real challenge. In 2007, a local group of retired teachers, parents, and volunteers got together to see if they could provide some type of meaningful employment for those adults. There is a real need to provide employment for special needs adults, not only in Cadillac, but around the state and yes throughout the United States.
