“Kindness begins with the understanding that we all struggle.” – Charles Glassman
Serving kindness first and the coffee second is the motto behind La La Land Kind Café in Houston’s Montrose neighborhood. Many mistakenly believe that kindness is just an act. The employees and management of this Instagram-worthy coffee shop assure clients that their mantra is more than just a slogan; it’s a lifestyle.
Naturally, this means it takes a special, empathetic individual to work in an establishment built on kindness. Currently, the café tries to hire people who have aged out of the foster care system. It also offers an eight-week internship program that encompasses everything from customer service training to job placement.
According to La La’s operations manager, Amaris Watje, one person who was formally in the foster care system now works at the shop full-time. When it comes to the kind of person they’re looking for, it should be no surprise that Amaris had this to say:
“We choose people who naturally want to be a positive light and be positive at work … who love what they’re doing and love getting compliments already, and that’s a very special person,” Watje said.
The café isn’t just serving up kindness in person. It has also made a name for itself on social media platforms like TikTok. With more than a billion views and millions of followers, they have even reached the likes of Starbucks, Dunkin’s Donuts, and Disney.
But how did the La La Land Kind Café get started? It all started with founder Francois Reihani who dreamed of combining his love of hospitality to give back to the community, while simultaneously creating a socially conscious and kind environment for customers.
To learn more about the La La Land Kind Café, please click here.
We, at Sheltering Grace, are passionate about helping homeless mothers and babies end the devastating cycle of homelessness. Please contact us at 678-337-7858 to learn how you can help. Your one act of kindness can make all the difference to mothers and babies in need.
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Sheltering Grace Ministry, Ltd. is a 501(c)3 Ltd. non-profit ministry. We resolve the initial crisis of homelessness by providing mothers with a safe place to live during pregnancy. We also equip them with the tools they need to improve decision-making, enhance employment options, and increase family income to act responsibly as the head of their household. All of our services develop their self-reliance to progress to permanent independent living. Please join us in renewing and rebuilding the lives of these brave women – #Be1of5000
