DALLAS — It's a hot May afternoon in Dallas and Maya Barnes is packed into a food truck with three of her colleagues at Ruthie's Rolling Cafe. The line of hungry customers is growing outside and sweat is starting to form on the line cook's brow, but Barnes can't wipe the smile off her face.
"It's all about communication and teamwork. And if you smile people almost always smile back," Barnes said.
Barnes has a lot to smile about. She's one of Ruthie's newest hires after the DFW based food truck partnered with Cafe Momentum, a non-profit that works with at-risk youth to give the training and experience in the culinary world.
Now Ruthie's owner Ashlee Kleinert says her team is excited to offer some of Cafe Momentum's graduates the next round of experience and support in the form of a job.
"We've met the most amazing young people already and each one of them and their stories is just so inspiring," Kleinert said.
Participants like Barnes say Cafe Momentum is a life changing experience and many worry about finding another venue with the same mix of a family feel with support and valuable professional experience and pay.
"I learned so much about myself there and now this [Ruthie's] is great too," Barnes said.
Cafe Momentum's founder Chad Houser was picky when selecting a business to partner with but says Kleinert and Ruthie's exemplify everything his non-profit stands for.
"It's that balance of investing in a person and being there to help them grow but also being serious and really training these young men and women with valuable real world skills that serve them and our customers everyday," Houser said.
Ruthie's Rolling Cafe is one of the most popular food trucks in DFW but Kleinert says giving back is a part of her business model. On the same hot day we met Barnes the Ruthie's team was serving police officers for free, they call it their "snack of kindness" campaign.
"I always feel good after a day of work but on days like this it's extra special," Barnes said.
Both Kleinert and Houser believe investing in young people in Dallas is a worthwhile venture, for Barnes the experience has already been life changing.
"I've already been to cities across DFW that I've never even heard of. I'm seeing so much and learning everyday," Barnes said
While the partnership is just getting started both Ruthie's and Cafe Momentum say they're excited to keep the momentum rolling across North Texas.