'It's life-changing': Belong Kitchen provides employment to adults with disabilities

Kim Brown’s middle daughter, Ellie, was about to graduate from high school. Most kids go on to college or get a job at that point in their lives, but Ellie has developmental delays, hindering her prospects for employment and positive social interaction.

“Once these young adults graduate from high school, there just aren’t opportunities for them for employment or for meaningful social interaction,” Brown said in an exclusive interview with the Houston Daily.

Concerned about her daughter’s future, Brown did some research, saw a need and formed a nonprofit that became Belong Kitchen, a grab-n-go kitchen that employs adults with intellectual and developmental differences. The business started out of Brown’s home as the search began for retail space.

“It was a great way for us to get practice and see how things would work in the kitchen,” Brown said. “We had seven or eight of our employees working out of my home. That went over well.”

Eventually, a space became available. The kitchen in Village Towers Plaza employs 30 young adults with intellectual developmental disabilities. They produce larger meals that can be reheated and feed four to six people. They also offer pastries and desserts. 

The employees are supported by a group of volunteers from the community who give their time and energy.

“You think you're volunteering to help them, but honestly, you’re the one that leaves changed,” Brown said. “Our employees are so eager to work, so excited to be here with friends and to contribute and have meaning and purpose. It’s life-changing for them. We’re having a lot of fun. We dance around the kitchen and we make good food.”

The food preparation business was chosen after Ellie took a cooking class for those with special needs. 

“It was something she enjoyed and I like to cook,” Brown said. “It just seemed like a good fit.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 17% of children in the United States age three to 17 have one or more developmental disabilities such as ADHD, autism, cerebral palsy, hearing loss, intellectual disability, learning disability and vision impairment. They occur among all ethnic, racial and socioeconomic groups.

“This is a population that is underserved,” Brown said. “There are not a lot of programs or opportunities for them. They’re very hardworking and loyal. You don’t have a lot of turnover, and they’re good to be around.”

The long-term impact Belong Kitchen will have goes way beyond providing jobs and good food. 

“Our hope is that we change the expectation and the perception of them so that when the next group of parents with young adults that are about to graduate from high school, they’ll have options and the community will be used to seeing them behind the counter and in the workplace,” Brown said. “We need to welcome them and make them part of the community.”

Belong Kitchen is a 501c3 nonprofit organization and seeks charitable donations to offset utilities, equipment, marketing and administrative costs. Income earned from sales covers food and staff payroll.

“We’re just getting this one off the ground,” Brown said. “But we think there needs to be one in every city. I think you can find the special employees to staff it.”