JUST BRAND IT: Serving Up Second Chances with @CafeMomentum
On Pointe contributor Krista Franks Brock, a Dallas-based editor and writer, is introducing you to a culinary luminary who’s cooking up second chances for at-risk kids by leading the philanthropic alliance of Dallas’ most famous foodies.
Dishing out culinary innovation and creative inspiration, Café Momentum brings community service into the kitchen with a dynamic outreach program that pairs chefs with at-risk kids. Offering juvenile offenders mentorship and paid internships, Café Momentum provides coaching and education in order to teach them life skills and decrease their chances of recidivism. Established by famous foodie Chad Houser, who gave up his role as chef-owner of Parigi to focus on the philanthropic initiative full time, Café Momentum’s original concept is supported by equally unique fundraising efforts, and we’ll tell you how the project is redefining social success.
Café Momentum’s fearless leader Chad Houser chats with guests at the organization’s fall pop-up event, the Harvest Moon Dinner.
Organization: Café Momentum
Mission: Breaking the cycle of crime and punishment by providing hope, opportunity, and critical skills to young men within the Dallas County Youth Village.
Website: CafeMomentum.org
Connect: Find the foodie philanthropy via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
Social Status: Café Momentum’s recipe for success started with great partnerships, and the organization has recruited culinary luminaries including chefs Dean Fearing, Nick Badovinus, and Tiffany Derry as supporters. However, the group’s secret ingredient for sustainability is its acclaimed pop-up dinner series, which serves as Café Momentum’s strongest initiative for fundraising and awareness. Socialites and socially-minded community activists alike clamor for tickets to the delicious events, and guests relish the opportunity to give back to the program while being treated to a one-of-a-kind private dining experience at the city’s elite eateries.
Key Takeaways: Guiding Café Momentum through the tricky transition from cool concept to bold brand, Houser adopted a socially savvy approach that capitalized on both off and online interaction. With a smart strategy that engages supporters yet protects the exclusivity of the organization’s events, Café Momentum’s community building efforts offer key insights that all businesses can apply.
Keep it local … Constantly engaging current or potential partners and supporters online by recognizing and interacting with Dallas-based businesses, chefs, and other philanthropies, Café Momentum actively promotes the city’s best and brightest alongside its own successes. Brands in any field can apply a similar approach by curating and then connecting with initiatives that are local to their specific industry or community.
Maintain your mission … While Café Momentum hosts sought-after soirees and boasts many well-known collaborators, the organization’s social media strategy continues to focus on its philanthropic mission rather than high-profile happenings. Taking followers behind-the-scenes with the chefs and kids at the core of Café Momentum’s concept, the group puts its programs at the forefront to establish a very personal connection with fans. Businesses seeking to stimulate the same kind of off and online loyalty can do so by cultivating content that adheres to the brand’s organic identity and puts the company’s industry and community leadership at the forefront.
Chef Graham Dodds coaches program participants while in the kitchen for a recent Café Momentum dinner.
From the Beginning: Houser and Janice Provost, his partner in Parigi, were attending an event at the Dallas Farmer's Market in 2010 when a conversation with Youth Village Resources’ executive director Jerry Silhan inspired the idea that would eventually become Café Momentum. While chatting with Silhan, Houser and Provost were introduced to several young men who were dishing out ice cream they’d made while participating in Youth Village’s culinary program, and the pair was struck by the opportunity to work with local vendors and chefs to help at-risk youth find viable employment opportunities.
Fearless Leader: Seeking to spread hope and give struggling youth a second chance, Houser conceived Café Momentum as a grass roots initiative, but when passes for the inaugural pop-up dinner oversold before the organizers could even shut down the online ticketing system, it was obvious the aptly-named project was speeding toward expansion. Though Houser was racking up accolades, earning nominations for D Magazine’s “Best Up-and-Coming Chef” and “Best Chef,” he left his posh post with Parigi to become Café Momentum’s executive director and head chef in mid-2012.
Star Power: During a summer pop-up dinner, Café Momentum announced a $175,000 grant from the United Way that will allow the organization to establish its own restaurant and training facility in downtown Dallas. Additionally, the relatively new philanthropy has garnered plenty of press coverage and praise from D Magazine, Crave DFW, CultureMap, and many more.
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***By utilizing Just Brand It to highlight dynamic organizations, On Pointe seeks to underscore Brandpointe’s key objective - inspiring and assisting businesses and individuals in developing unique marketing and branding initiatives. Just Brand It is not advertorial in nature, and the content featured within the column is neither paid for nor sponsored by a third-party.***
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