TITLE: Honoring Hugs Café in McKinney for providing employment to people with special needs.

SUMMARY: Honoring Hugs Café in McKinney for providing employment to people with special needs.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Established to empower people with special needs, Hugs Caf  in McKinney is rendering a significant service to its community; and WHEREAS, The caf 's founder, Ruth Thompson, moved to McKinney in 2004 and soon began to teach cooking to adults with special needs; holding classes twice a week for 10 years, she helped these individuals develop new skills and become more independent; and WHEREAS, Inspired by the success of her classes, Ms. Thompson decided to open a restaurant that would provide employment for people like her students; with the support of many in the community, she embarked on a successful fund-raising campaign, and the nonprofit Hugs Caf  welcomed its first customers in 2015; and WHEREAS, The caf  serves lunch Tuesday through Sunday and features an inviting menu of sandwiches, salads, soups, and desserts; more than 70 percent of the caf 's teammates are people with intellectual or developmental disabilities, many of whom work part-time and all of whom earn at least minimum wage; Ms. Thompson herself puts in up to 60 hours at the caf  every week to help ensure its success; and WHEREAS, Hugs Caf  is offering its employees a chance to build the confidence and self-respect that will help them to live meaningful, rewarding lives, and equally important, the business is encouraging public appreciation for the capabilities and dignity of adults with special needs; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas Legislature hereby honor Hugs Caf  for valuing the strengths of individuals with special needs and extend to Ms. Thompson and her staff sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Hugs Caf  as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Sanford Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 1528 was adopted by the House on May 4, 2017, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House