Ice cream shop only hires workers with special needs to “restore friendliness to the hospitality industry.”

Ice cream shop only hires workers with special needs to “restore friendliness to the hospitality industry.”

“They are restoring friendliness to the hospitality industry.”

Ice cream shop only hires workers with special needs to "restore friendliness to the hospitality industry."
Ice cream shop only hires workers with special needs to “restore friendliness to the hospitality industry.” Credit: Howdy Homemade – Facebook

The word’s out on Howdy Homemade, the ice cream shop in Dallas that employs workers who all have special needs. On Tuesday, Aug. 27, ABC News aired a national segment where they called Howdy Homemade “the only ice cream shop where the workers are even sweeter than the ice cream.”

Business seems to be booming, and not just because of its super sweet treats. It’s most likely because of how friendly and hospitable the employees are at Howdy Homemade Ice Cream.

When Tom Landis, the company’s founder, opened Howdy Homemade, he came up with an idea: to employ those with Down syndrome and autism.

Ice cream shop only hires workers with special needs to "restore friendliness to the hospitality industry."
Ice cream shop only hires workers with special needs to “restore friendliness to the hospitality industry.” Credit: Howdy Homemade – Facebook

Landis had opened more than a dozen restaurants, and had experience working in the special-needs community. He had also heard from many in the community that they were having difficulties getting hired, according to WFAA-TV.

“It just jumped out, ‘Hey this is what the restaurant industry needs,'” Landis told ABC, about his idea. “What we wanted to do was create a place where everything in the restaurant was designed for people with special needs to succeed. One knife, no fryer…And they get there on the front lines and they’re friendly. They are restoring friendliness to the hospitality industry.”

Ice cream shop only hires workers with special needs to "restore friendliness to the hospitality industry." Credit: Howdy Homemade - Facebook
Ice cream shop only hires workers with special needs to “restore friendliness to the hospitality industry.” Credit: Howdy Homemade – Facebook

Anne Marie Carrigan, a Howdy Homemade worker, said that not being able to find a job had made her feel “like there’s not a place for me in this world.”

Now, she and other employees spend every day making 34 different flavors of ice cream — they rotate from a total of 62. Howdy Homemade is also available at 10 North Texas supermarkets.

Workers told ABC News recently that they truly appreciated the opportunity that Howdy Homemade had provided them.

Ice cream shop only hires workers with special needs to "restore friendliness to the hospitality industry." Credit: Howdy Homemade - Facebook
Ice cream shop only hires workers with special needs to “restore friendliness to the hospitality industry.” Credit: Howdy Homemade – Facebook

Carrigan said that she’d gained some important life lessons in her job as an ice cream maker.

“Never take no for an answer. Rap what you are passionate about and make it happen. Because you are worth living for,” she told WFAA-TV.

Ice cream shop only hires workers with special needs to "restore friendliness to the hospitality industry." Credit: Howdy Homemade - Facebook
Ice cream shop only hires workers with special needs to “restore friendliness to the hospitality industry.” Credit: Howdy Homemade – Facebook

Landis, the company’s founder, said the employees had given him some sage scoops of wisdom as well.

“I think I’ve taught them how to work and they’ve taught me how to live,” Landis told WFAA-TV.

Follow the Majical journey of Howdy Homemade and the amazing things they’re doing in their community by checking out their Facebook page.

Source ABC News


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