Hugs Training Academy is an educational training center that aims to help those with intellectual and developmental disabilities learn how to work in food service and hospitality. At the academy students choose between two courses that will specialize in front-of-house restaurant training or back-of-house restaurant training. Upon completion of the program, individuals will receive their food handlers certification. They will also be paired with a Hugs Cafe Inc. employment partner, who will interview the individual for a position at one of their businesses. Interested Hugs Cafe Inc. partners include Jason’s Deli, MOD Pizza, Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea, and Yum Brands, which owns Pizza Hut, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Taco Bell.
“We are making more relationships all the time as we continue to advocate and market this program,” said Lauren Smith, director of development for Hugs Cafe Inc. “Basically, now individuals will be able to come to us to get training, but honestly be served through us, with their end employer being someone else other than Hugs Cafe Inc.”
For the next two years, Hugs Training Academy will operate out of Trinity Presbyterian Church, located at 5871 Virginia Parkway, McKinney, with a permanent location coming later, Smith said. The academy’s first class kicked off March 14 and will continue for the next 12 weeks.
Betsy Leal, who grew up in McKinney and has more than 15 years of experience working in school districts and private schools in special education, has been named the lead teacher for the training academy. She will be supported by four other special needs educators with a combined 120 years’ experience, Smith said.
The Training Academy is open to individuals age 14 and older with special needs. A 10-week course will be available this summer, and another 12-week course will open this fall. Applications are now being accepted for both programs, Smith said. Those interested in becoming a student without going through the Texas Workforce Commission can fill out an application and find more information at https://hugscafe.org/training-academy.
The academy is in the process of being approved to receive students through the Texas Workforce Commission as well. Once that goes through, there will also be an option for individuals who receive services from the Texas Workforce Commission to enter the Hugs Training Academy this summer or anytime following that, and training would be made available at no cost to them, Smith said.
Those interested in contributing to the program by donating supplies, coming in to teach a class or being a job coach to students can email Smith directly at [email protected].
“It is our intention to activate as many different points of the community as possible and bring them into the program,” Smith said. “Then our graduates will be that much more supported as they go into the workforce with references and allies, and people that have understood that they have skills.”
