The Grace Foundation and NYC Health + Hospitals Announce the Grace Cafe: Eatery on Sea View Campus to be Operated by Grace Foundation Participants

The Grace Foundation and NYC Health + Hospitals Announce the Grace Cafe: Eatery on Sea View Campus to be Operated by Grace Foundation Participants

The Grace Foundation partners with NYC Health + Hospitals/Sea View to offer job training opportunities and create career pathways for its participants through The Grace Café

May 04, 2026

On Thursday, April 30, as Autism Awareness Month came to a close, The GRACE Foundation, a Staten Island-based non-profit dedicated to empowering those with autism, and NYC Health + Hospitals/Sea View, a short-term rehabilitation and long-term care facility, announced a historic partnership with the launch of The GRACE Café, an eatery located on the campus of Seaview which will be operated by participants of The GRACE Foundation.

"This partnership creates an opportunity for our participants to continue to hone their social and work force skills, while also continuing to spread awareness surrounding the autism community," said Cathy Del Priore, Executive Director of The GRACE Foundation. "Thank you to Matthew Levy and the entire team at NYC Health + Hospitals/Sea View, our local elected officials represented here today, and to all of you gathered here with us today."

"Partnering with The Grace Foundation to open a café in the Sea View lobby is an important step in reimagining how we support the daily experience of our residents, families, and staff. This initiative goes beyond offering refreshments - it creates a warm, space where people can gather, connect, and feel a sense of normalcy and comfort," said NYC Health + Hospitals/Sea View Chief Executive Officer Matthew Levy, LNHA, MHA. "We are proud to collaborate with an organization that shares our values of compassion, dignity, and community engagement. Together, we are enhancing the environment at Sea View in a meaningful way, making it not just a place of care, but a place of connection and belonging."

In attendance for the café's groundbreaking were representatives from the offices of Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis, Councilman David Carr, Senator Andrew Lanza, and Councilman Frank Morano. GRACE Foundation Board Members as well as its Chairman, Michael Lanza, and participants from The GRACE Foundation, were also on hand to celebrate the occasion.

"The partnership with NYC Health + Hospitals/Sea View and the Grace Foundation is just one example of the ongoing commitment to creating pathways for growth, confidence, and purposeful engagement - empowering individuals with Autism to develop meaningful skills that can be harnessed in environments like the Grace Café," said NYC Health + Hospitals Board Member Dr. Vincent Calamia. "At NYC Health + Hospitals, we continue to implement programming that integrates care with opportunity, recognizing that skill development and inclusion are essential components of holistic health."

At the conclusion of the groundbreaking, Matthew Levy and Cathy Del Priore, joined two puzzle pieces, representing their respective organizations, to symbolically mark the joint venture. Attendees were invited to sample future café menu items, including caprese skewers, mini brioche chicken salad sandwiches, truffle mac and cheese, and pulled pork sliders.

The Café is located within the lobby of the Sea View Nursing Home in the Robitzek Building at 460 Brielle Avenue. It will undergo renovations and upgrades until it is ready to open doors for service in 6 to 8 weeks.

###

MEDIA CONTACTS: Anthony Rapacciuolo, PRcision LLC, 718-490-5023
Rafael Dominguez, NYC Health + Hospitals/Post-Acute Care, 646-694-4910

About The GRACE Foundation
The GRACE Foundation is a non-profit organization established to improve the lives of individuals and families impacted by Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). ASD is a neurological disorder that impacts the development of language and communication skills as well as social interaction and relatedness. Given the complexity of the disorder, each person with an Autism Spectrum Disorder is unique and therefore requires individualized guidance and support.

For more information about The GRACE Foundation please visit https://www.graceofny.org

About NYC Health + Hospitals/Sea View
NYC Health + Hospitals/Sea View is a 304-bed skilled nursing facility on Staten Island, certified by the New York State Department of Health and maintains its Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) five-star rating since 2008. Sea View ranks #3 in Newsweek's 2026 Best Nursing Homes in New York State. It also holds the highest performance rating for long-term care and short-term rehabilitation from U.S. News & World Report in its 2026 Best Nursing Homes list. A pioneer in long-term care for brain injury, NYC Health + Hospitals/Sea View was the first facility in downstate New York to establish a New York State Certified Brain Injury Program. The program offers a 21-bed unit for patients who need active restorative rehabilitation and a 38-bed unit for brain-injured patients who require extended care. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.