When did you first hear about Kids’ Meals?
I was vaguely familiar with Kids’ Meals through our National Charity League chapter through the years but was more recently introduced to Kids’ Meals through our dear friend Dennis Clark at Pappas Restaurants.
Can you share how Dennis Clark helped spark or support the connection between Belong Kitchen and Kids’ Meals?
Dennis and the entire team at Pappas Restaurants was instrumental in designing and furnishing our kitchen at our brick-and-mortar location in Memorial City. We developed a close friendship through our work together on the original Belong location, and he began to discuss a vision for Belong at the new Kids’ Meals location.
What does this second location mean to you, the staff, and the supporters of Belong Kitchen?
It is an honor to be associated with Kids’ Meals! We are proud to collaborate with an organization that is so well-respected in the Houston community and that is making such a huge impact for Houston children.
The Kids’ Meals location is an incredible opportunity for us to provide employment opportunities to more adults with intellectual and developmental differences, and it allows us to expand our reach within the community. Our employees and their families are excited about this new chapter for Belong and the chance to work in such a beautiful new space!
What excites you most about Belong Kitchen being part of the new Kids’ Meals headquarters?
I think the best part about operating the café at the new Kids’ Meals location is the opportunity to allow our employees the chance to work and to shine in the community while helping to support and contribute to one of the most revered non-profits in Houston. It is exciting for us to be a small part of something so impactful in our city.
How does this partnership align with Belong’s mission to create meaningful opportunities for adults with intellectual and developmental differences?
Operating the café at Kids’ Meals has allowed us to hire more young adults with IDD; it creates more shifts for us to fill, and we are excited about sharing our food with Kids’ Meals employees and volunteers!
What do you hope families, volunteers, and staff will experience when they visit Belong Kitchen at Kids’ Meals?
I hope that families, volunteers, and staff will enjoy interacting with our employees and getting to know them. I hope that they will witness the joy that our employees experience from working and contributing each and every day.
We hope to demonstrate that our employees are capable so that we can change the expectations and broaden the possibilities for the IDD population.