Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 84GoodLifeFamilyMag.com JULY | AUGUST 2016 67 E M B R A C E ! m'brās/ verb e Our newest section, Embrace! was created to provide information and human interest articles to help families with differently-abled children. Whether your child has ADHD, Autism, Down syndrome or any other special need that qualifies him or her for programs in public schools, we will be researching and covering important, educational and inspiring content that addresses a wide variety of issues. A Special Flavor in Dallas HOWDY ICE CREAM SWEETENS THE DEAL BY RECOGNIZING SPECIAL NEEDS EMPLOYEES’POTENTIAL Want to beat the Texas heat? Stop by Howdy Homemade Ice Cream, and while you’re there, be sure to say, well, “howdy” to the employees. If you do, you’ll be talking to the folks who really make the business run. You see, owner Tom Landis is serving up more than scoops of Dr Pepper Chocolate Chip ice cream. He’s serving up job experience for a group of conscientious and hardworking special needs employees. A20-yearveteranintherestaurant business, Landis opened Howdy Ice Cream in December 2015 and says he owes its success, not only to the delicious ice cream, but also to the dedicated employees who come to work each day with a smile on their face and provide the ultimate in customer service. This business model is in sync with Landis’ belief that the restaurant industry revolves around people first, then food, and also empowering employees with special needs to succeed. Inspired by Gene Stallings’ book Another Season, detailing the former football player and coach’s experiences raising his son born with Down syndrome, Landis hopes that other businesses will follow suit. “There is so much potential out there that the restaurant community needs to see,” he says. Landis’ vision has materialized in Howdy Ice Cream, as 14 of the 16 employees have special needs. Coleman Jones, a Highland Park Special Olympics basketball star is Landis’ vice president and his responsibilities at the store are growing. “Our measure of success is when we can turn the keys over to someone like Coleman Jones.” Landis says that Jones inspires the other special needs employees with his sense of teamwork. According to Landis, Jones and the crew work in a fun, safe environment. “We don’t have fryers, boilers, or hot grease,” he says. “It’s ice cream. It’s safe.” He adds that everything runs with simplicity, and job tasks are very doable. Employees are trained for as long as it takes for them to comfortably master a task. Howdy Ice Cream works with area schools to train and hire employees, including Notre Dame, Highland Park, the Richardson School district, Dallas Independent School District, Oak Hill Academy, and others. The toughest part for Landis is that there are so many underemployed individuals with special needs – 240,000 in North Texas alone. “There’s a tremendous need; but it’s also a tremendous opportunity,” he notes. “The restaurant industry has a 300% turnover rate, and customer service is dead in America. Both can be changed by hiring those with special needs.” The father of two young children, Landis says that working with special needs kids has helped him become a better parent, made him more patient, and helps him focus and stay positive. It’s also taught him to stop and enjoy every lick of his ice cream cone. For more information, visit howdyicecream.com. Howdy Homemade Ice Cream is located at 4333 Lovers Lane in Dallas. by Karyn Brodsky Owner,Tom Landis says he owes the success of Howdy Homemade Ice Cream, not only to the delicious ice cream, but also to the dedicated employees who come to work each day with a smile on their face and provide the ultimate in customer service. AtHowdyHomemadeIceCream,14ofthe16employeeshavespecialneeds. “The restaurant industry has a 300% turnover rate, and customer service is dead in America. Both can be changed by hiring those with special needs.” - Tom Landis, Owner of Howdy Homemade Ice Cream Embrace! is generously sponsored in part by Ilana and Semyon Narosov