The nonprofit organization behind McKinney’s Hugs Café and Greenhouse is working to help community members who have special needs. The organization launched the Hugs Training Academy to help relieve the worker shortage in North Texas.
Adults with special needs can take classes in the Hugs Training Academy that teach them how to work in the restaurant and hospitality industry without fear.
A 12-week course started in March at Trinity Presbyterian Church. Plans are in the works for future classes at a new facility on land donated to the organization from real estate development McKinney East.
Later in the year, the nonprofit will announce fundraising to help build a training center with classrooms, where students will get the hands-on experience needed before entering the café.
Instructors hope that employers will give adults with special needs a chance to show that, with the proper training, they can perform just as well as other employees.
“We’re providing them training so they can go out in the world and get a job — a meaningful job,” said Ruth Thompson, founder and president of Hugs Café.
Hugs Training Academy said its goal is to get employers to see that special needs adults are like everyone else.
Danny Sigler is one of the special needs adults benefitting from the program. He has already obtained a job at the local North Texas café, but he is taking courses at Hugs Academy to gain further knowledge and skills. With this training, he hopes to earn more responsibilities on the job and increase his salary.
“I like making the sandwiches and seeing the customers with smiles on their faces,” Sigler said.
Businesses including Jason’s Deli and Sweetwater’s Coffee & Tea have shown interest in working with the students in the program.