When you walk into Café Sunflower in Rockville, you’re likely to be greeted by the smell of freshly baked pastries, the hum of friendly conversation, and the easy, welcoming smile of Joe Battle, Café Manager and lifelong Washingtonian.

If you’re a regular, Joe and his team probably already know your name and your order. “We put a lot of time into learning everybody’s names,” Joe says, “and hopefully remembering what their orders are, too.” That personal connection is part of what makes the café feel less like a workplace and more like a neighborhood hub.

“I get to meet and learn from so many wonderful new customers,” Joe says. “But the best part of this job is working with our students.”

From Grocery Aisles to Inclusive Opportunity

Joe has been with Sunflower for a little over a year, but he is no stranger to the hospitality industry. Before joining Sunflower Bakery, Joe spent more than a decade managing grocery teams at Dawson’s Market in Rockville Town Square. When the market closed in 2023, a former colleague, then Café Manager Evelyn, called to offer him the job at Sunflower with perfect timing. “Two days after I found out I had no job, I got a job offer,” he laughed.

Evelyn knew Joe’s experience working with neurodiverse young adults would make him a natural fit at Café Sunflower, where inclusion is more than a value; it’s the mission. At Dawson’s, half of Joe’s grocery team was neurodiverse. “It was something I’d gotten used to over 12 years,” he explains. “Watching people go from not sure what they’re doing to being confident in what they’re doing, that’s what’s cool. Being part of that process is the most rewarding thing.”

Seeing Ability, Not Difference

Joe’s approach is refreshingly simple. “Everything you experience as a neurotypical person, they experience. Everything you care about, do, and like, they experience too. The only difference is that sometimes things need to be more direct, or you need to be more patient,” he says.

To Joe, working with neurodiverse colleagues isn’t about accommodation,; it’s about connection. He believes that investing in people of all abilities strengthens everyone. “Every kid is your kid,” Joe explains. “Eventually, they’ll be someone on the other side of the counter from you, someone helping you or needing your help. If you’re not invested in every kid in your community, you’re not even invested in yourself.”

A Partnership Built on Purpose

At Federation’s headquarters, Joe and his team serve hundreds of staff and visitors each week. He says the relationship between Sunflower Bakery and The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington is one rooted in shared respect.

“From Gil (Preuss) on down, everybody’s wonderful,” Joe says. “They understand our mission and walk in the door with it. People smile when they say ‘Federation,’ and we smile when we see our regulars. It’s a great partnership.”

Finding Common Ground and Shared Values

Raised Catholic in Washington, DC, Joe says his time at Café Sunflower has opened new windows into Jewish life and culture. “What resonates most is how much everything blends together,” he reflects. “They all come from the same beginning. We’re all walking the same road.”

He especially loves the symbolism of Rosh Hashanah. “For instance, the challah is round because you’ve come around to a new year. What a great way to symbolize that. I think that’s really cool,” he says.

Beyond the Café

When he’s not managing the café or working at Sunflower’s bake shop on Sundays, Joe’s passions include music, reading, and history documentaries. “I like learning why things happened, how things happened, and what else was going on at the same time,” he says. “It’s all about seeing how things interconnect.”

A lifelong Star Trek fan, Joe also finds wisdom in the show’s message of IDIC—“infinite diversity in infinite combinations.” “It reminds me that life is richer when we welcome differences,” he says. “You want people to be different, to learn from them, and for them to learn from you. It’s pretty cool, actually.”

And… If you ever catch him on the other side of the counter, he’ll likely order a Hazelnut latte with oat milk and a classic brownie.

Looking Ahead

As Café Sunflower continues to expand its programs, including its growing culinary department, Joe is excited to see what comes next. “We’re always looking to strengthen our relationships with our partners and our community,” he says. “Because the best way to get anywhere is to get there together.”

Learn more about Sunflower Bakery and Café Sunflower and how your support helps create pathways to employment for young adults with learning differences at shalomdc.org.