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ZOOZ athletes, trainers, and their families closed out an active and fulfilling summer with a special “end-of-summer” hangout at Cafe 86 in Canoga Park.

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For a few hours, the group gathered to enjoy delicious food, refreshing drinks, and—most importantly—great company.

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Mary, a longtime ZOOZ athlete, sipped a salted caramel latte alongside an Ube pop tart.

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“I’m grateful for the partnerships ZOOZ creates like this one because it gets me out of my apartment, allows me to be social, and make new friends,” she shared.

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Caroline, another athlete, said she loved her zebra mocha latte, grilled cheese, and cupcake.

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“I came because I wanted to hang out with my friends and see all my favorite ZOOZ fitness coaches,” she said.

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The ZOOZ–Cafe 86 partnership is rooted in family. 

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Jacky and Patrick, who own the Canoga Park location of Cafe 86 have a son named Julian who has autism. He attends a martial arts class at ZOOZ on Monday evenings. Through that connection, the family discovered the ZOOZ community and quickly became involved, even attending the ZOOZ Run Club. Cafe 86 has since partnered with the run club, promoting their cafe at the events. 

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It was through these ongoing connections that the idea for the end-of-summer celebration blossomed.

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Founded in 2014, Cafe 86 describes itself as “a celebration of flavors, a haven for community, and a canvas for culinary creativity.” The cafe specializes in everything ube (purple yam), blending traditional flavors with innovative culinary twists.

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Jacky said partnering with ZOOZ felt natural.

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“I want to build a community for Julian—and ZOOZ felt like the perfect place. I also want to pay it forward. I want people with disabilities to have another place where they feel welcome.”

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Jacky and Patrick decided to franchise Cafe 86 because of their son. Their dream is that, one day, he and other people with disabilities will be able to work in their establishment.

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“We believe in creating a community and bringing everyone together so people feel they aren’t alone in this journey,” Patrick explained. “It’s daunting for a lot of disability families, so we want them to have a space where they feel connected.”

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The two-hour celebration was proof of just that—no one felt alone.

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Jake, founder of ZOOZ Fitness, emphasized why these partnerships matter.

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“ZOOZ helps our athletes physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially. These partnerships let us put into practice all the skills learned in the gym, while also connecting our athletes to people outside of ZOOZ and building our larger community.”

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This is just the beginning. ZOOZ plans to build on events like this one, continuing to strengthen partnerships that help athletes thrive both inside and outside the gym.