Learning life skills!
The Department of Juvenile Justice and a casual fine dining restaurant seem to have little in common, but teens 15 to 19 who have been released from the system are defying the odds at Café Momentum.
The idea to create paid internships for 15 to 20 youth who have served their sentences was conceived in 2011 by Chad Houser, a chef and restaurateur in Dallas, Texas. He wanted to offer an opportunity for interns to learn the restaurant industry that includes mental health support, academic and financial education, and recreation. He’s replicated that casual fine dining in Atlanta in 2025.
“Our success rate is approximately 75% with ‘graduates’ working with our partners at FedEx, nearby restaurants and upscale hotels” says Executive Director Sandy Welfare.
According to a National Center for Juvenile Justice report, entitled “Youth and the Juvenile Justice System National Reports, 2022,” the U.S. has the highest youth confinement rate among developed nations, with more than 29,314 incarcerated on any given day.
“We support Café Momentum because we believe in the power of second chances paired with real opportunity,” says Buckhead resident Christian Fischer, former CEO of Georgia Pacific. “The young people gain practical life skills that will serve them well beyond the restaurant.”
CAFÉ MOMENTUM
cafemomentum.org
@cafemomentum.atl
