September 2026 Newsletter
More Than a Café: Building Futures Together
From the Café to the Community
We are thrilled to share that half of our graduates have found employment! This is an exciting reflection of their professionalism, persistence, and readiness to contribute to the workplace.
Through their hands-on experience at Skills of Life Café, graduates gain practical skills in customer service, communication, problem-solving, time management, teamwork, leadership, and workplace responsibility. Just as importantly, they leave with greater self-confidence and a stronger sense of belonging in the community.
We are deeply grateful to the local employers who recognize the value our graduates bring to their teams. Inclusive hiring creates meaningful opportunities for talented individuals while helping Santa Cruz become a stronger, more welcoming community for everyone.
A Celebration of Our Graduates
We are still smiling after celebrating another wonderful Skills of Life Café graduation! This milestone recognizes the hard work, dedication, growth, and confidence our interns have built throughout their time in the program. Each graduate has spent countless hours developing workplace skills, practicing teamwork and communication, taking on new responsibilities, and discovering what they are capable of.
Graduation is not simply an ending; it is the beginning of new opportunities. We are incredibly proud of every graduate for showing up, working hard, supporting one another, and taking meaningful steps toward greater independence.
Welcoming Our New Cohort
We are excited to welcome 11 new interns to the Skills of Life Café family! As they begin their journey with us, they will gain hands-on experience in a supportive café environment while building valuable workplace skills such as customer service, communication, teamwork, organization, and problem-solving.
We cannot wait to watch this new cohort grow in confidence, discover their strengths, and take meaningful steps toward greater independence and future employment. Welcome to Skills of Life Café—we are so glad you are here!
Calling All Cornholers!
Save the date for our upcoming Cornhole Fundraiser at Woodhouse Brewing on October 17th from noon-6pm! Last year, 30 teams joined us for friendly competition, community fun, and support for Skills of Life Café. We are excited to bring the event back and hope even more teams will join us this year.
Along with the tournament, guests can bid in our silent auction and take a chance on our “Spin the Wheel” game for prizes. Every team, bid, spin, and shared laugh supports vocational training and greater independence for the incredible young people in our program.
A Swing for Skills of Life
A huge thank you to the SCFFL Foundation, every golfer, sponsor, donor, volunteer, and supporter who made the 5th Annual DOUBLE Fundraiser Golf Event such a success. Because of this incredible community effort, the event raised more than $9,000 for Skills of Life Café! We are so grateful to be included in an event that brings people together for fun, connection, and a meaningful purpose. Thank you for believing in our mission and helping us continue to build brighter futures.
Hula’s Mahalo Monday
We are also excited to partner with Hula’s Grill for a Mahalo Monday fundraiser every monday this October! It is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy a meal with friends and family while supporting Skills of Life Café and our mission.
We are so grateful for community partners like Hula’s who help create opportunities for our interns to learn, grow, and thrive. Looking forward to seeing you every Monday this October. Mahalo!
Friends of Skills of Life Café
Become a Friend of Skills of Life Café and make a meaningful difference—one drink at a time! When you sign up, you commit to stopping by once a week to purchase a drink, giving our interns consistent opportunities to practice customer service, communication, teamwork, and other real-world job skills in a welcoming café setting.
Thank You
Thank you for being part of the Skills of Life Café community. Whether you visit the café, attend an event, make a donation, hire a graduate, or share our mission with a local business, you help make independence and meaningful employment possible.
Donate today to help create meaningful opportunities for young adults to build skills, confidence, and more independent futures.