Howdy Homemade Ice Cream is putting a twist on the typical local dessert shop by employing those with intellectual and developmental disabilities . The Texas-born idea came from founder and CEO Tom Landis, who told Fox News Digital about the company and why he’s so passionate about helping others. The first shop opened in Dallas, Texas, after the 54-year-old father of two said he found a passion for helping those with disabilities.
God put it on my heart and said, ‘Man, let’s give guys like this an opportunity’," he said. IDDs, according to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, are defined as differences that typically present themselves at birth and affect children's physical, intellectual and/or emotional development. These disabilities can include Down syndrome, autism spectrum disorders, cerebral palsy and more.
Ice cream, however, made him raise his eyebrows after he realized the simplicity and the need for good customer service. "You choose your ice cream and then from there it comes down to the one factor that’s just dead in America and that’s customer service — where our guys just thrive," he said.