Café Momentum opens its doors in Dallas, Texas
2015
Seven years of ideas and hard work finally resulted in our nonprofit’s first (now flagship) location.
Who we are
This is not a normal restaurant
Good food is better than the sum of its ingredients, and the same is true of our communities.
Our Mission
Café Momentum’s mission is to transform young lives by equipping our community’s justice-involved youth with life skills, education and employment opportunities to help them achieve their full potential.
There is no quick overnight solution that can course-correct decades of disinvestment, neglect and marginalization. But, we can at least attempt to create a new system of support for our kids coming out of the justice system. We can create a place for them to land.
— Founder CEO, Chad Houser
Our Values
ALL HANDS
We value the innovation and collaboration that happens when we get in the groove as a team. Those moments of brightness are a sign that we’re open to learning. We know we can’t control everything we carry with us. This is not easy work. But a burden shared is a burden halved—and joy shared is joy doubled.
BUILD BRIDGES
We value the opportunity and accountability that comes from belonging to a community. We believe respect is a two-way street and use food as our vehicle for breaking down stigma. The dining table is our path to a more closely connected community and a brighter future.
DIG IN
We value integrity and perseverance as foundations of growth. We practice the long-term task of putting in the work, because consistent results require consistent effort. We are strengthened by our contributions that nurture others. We show up because we believe that all of us deserve better—and we make “better” possible every day.
Our manifesto
Dreams are the ink with which we write our stories
We learn to dream the moment we take our first steps: We’re told we can go anywhere, do anything, be anyone. That we’re limited only by what we dare to imagine, and how hard we’re willing to work for it. But for some of us, there are limits. Some of us don’t get to write our own stories.
Read full manifesto
OUR ROOTS
In 2008, Chad Houser was the co-owner of a successful restaurant and had been nominated as the best up-and-coming chef in Dallas. At that time, he had the opportunity to teach eight young men in juvenile detention how to make ice cream – and that experience struck him to his core.
“I witnessed firsthand just how much the current model for juvenile justice is designed to negatively affect our youth. Rather than building a better system, we are trying the same thing over and over again. I realized that I wanted to open a restaurant – and I wanted to let these kids run it.”
Over the next seven years, Chad and a growing network of like-minded advocates worked to build what would become Café Momentum, a new model for youth justice. In January 2015 Café Momentum opened its doors, staffed by its first class of youth interns. The name itself reflects the mission: to spark positive change and build unstoppable momentum for youth, communities and systems alike. Today, Café Momentum continues to prove that when we believe in young people, there’s no limit to what they can achieve.
Let’s get stirred up, together
If our goal to impact the lives of youth exiting the justice system resonates with you, consider donating to our cause. Supporters like you provide our momentum.
Donate now
THE CAFÉ MOMENTUM STORY
Momentum Society Dallas launches
2016
In 2016, Café Momentum’s Momentum Society was created when community leaders and social entrepreneurs joined forces to Eat. Drink. And Change Lives.