About Perk Center Cafe

The Perk Center Cafe was conceived of by Jacob Metrick, the sibling of a young woman with autism. He believed that a food service business in a recreational setting would create both employment opportunities for his sister and her friends and disability awareness in Glenview and surrounding communities.

Thus was born a collaborative arrangement between the Glenview Park District, Jacob, his mother, and three other parents of young adults with developmental disabilities. A not-for-profit entity called Great Potentials was established, and The Perk Center Cafe opened for business at Park Center, the Glenview Park District’s community center, in December of 2008.

The Perk Center Cafe's goals are four-fold: to provide employment, volunteer, and vocational training opportunities to individuals with developmental disabilities; to offer good quality food to customers; to build positive relationships in the community; and to serve as model to others who might wish to create businesses for the purpose of employment of people with disabilities.