SWEET SCOOP: Katy ice cream shop creates job opportunities for adults with special needs

Trae tha Truth opens Howdy Homemade Ice Cream franchise in Houston area

KATY, Texas – From classic flavors like vanilla and butter pecan to unique twists like Dr. Pepper Chocolate Chip, you can’t go wrong with any of the scoops at Howdy Homemade Ice Cream. Katy franchise owner Roderick Batson teamed up with rapper Trae Tha Truth to bring the cool concept with an even cooler cause to the Houston area: providing job opportunities for adults with special needs.

“Trae Tha Truth and I are like brothers. We’ve done many ventures together,” said Batson. “His heart is huge, so it was only right to partner with him on this venture.”

As a father of a special needs child, Howdy Homemade’s mission is near and dear to Trae Tha Truth’s heart.

“We call our employees heroes because every day they overcome their obstacles. Every day they prove doubters wrong,” said Batson. “We let our heroes be the face of Howdy, and so they run it in totality.”

Howdy’s focuses on helping their heroes master skills ranging from communication, money handling, health and sanitation procedures and of course getting the perfect scoop of ice cream.

“They’re really hard-working individuals, so I hope that other establishments see Howdy Homemade Katy, and [it] inspires them to want to employ individuals with special needs.”

As both Houston and Katy continue to expand, so does the growing need for employment opportunities for the special needs community.

“I think the most rewarding thing is to see a hero that has tried to get a job for 10, 15 years and wasn’t able, and now they come to work every day happy and proud, and they have a sense of dignity and hope,” said Batson.

In addition to their storefront, Howdy Homemade Ice Cream Katy offers a catering service with a very special touch that’s available for everything from corporate events to birthday parties. To learn more or to connect with the Howdy team, click here.


About the Author:

Olivia Kolanek is the Features Producer of KPRC 2's Houston Life. She joined the KPRC family in the summer of 2019 after working in non-profit communications for three years. She is passionate about creating content that features good people, good food or a good story. Olivia is a University of Houston alumna, Audible junkie and scuba novice.