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| Photo by Randall Benton for the Sacramento Bee |
Patrick and Bobbin Mulvaney own a traditional for profit restaurant
in Sacramento, California, Mulvaney's
B&L. That has not, however stopped them from venturing into social entrepreneurship
by volunteering to help launch an intriguing concept that helps homeless
mothers learn job skills and gain a work history to lead them on a path of
self-sustainability.
These busy restaurateurs definitely
have passion, purpose and a whole lot of heart.
Three years ago, the St John’s Shelter
Program for Women and Children in Sacramento, California launched a restaurant called
simply “Plates,” guided by the expertise and help of the Mulvaneys. The
difference here, is that the casual eatery employs homeless mothers that often
have little or no work experience.
The Mulvaneys are totally committed
to the concept. Bobbin Mulvaney tells Cathie Anderson of the Sacramento Bee that they “put a lot of "love and Elvis" into it.”
The experiment has been more than
successful. Plates now grosses about
$650,000 in revenue. $45,000 of that revenue helps to pay for other programs.
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| Diners at Plates to Go Photo by Randall Benton for the Sacramento Bee |
With the success of the original Plates, St. Johns Shelter is
expanding with the addition of “Plates to Go” in midtown Sacramento. Again with
the blood, sweet, and love of the Mulvaneys.
St. John's Shelter CEO Michele Steeb told Anderson, “There's
not a word in the English language to describe how instrumental the partnership
with the Mulvaneys has been. That came in loud and clear the week that the
original Plates restaurant opened. We had a chef, but it worked for only about
a week. We opened the first week and Patrick was on the line cooking for three
out of the first six days."
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| Plates to Go Executive Chef Stu Edgcombe & Kitchen Manager Tamara KafkaPhoto by Randall Benton for the Sacramento Bee |
Apparently the Mulvaneys hire people at their own restaurant with
a lot of heart too. Stu Edgcombe, a former chef at Mulvaneys B & L,
volunteered to help out and liked the concept so much, he stayed on as the
Plate to Go Executive Chef.
At the new Plates to Go, Kitchen Manager Tamara Kafka escaped domestic-violence. A graduate of the St. Johns Shelter Program, Kafka tells CBS 13 in Sacramento, “It was not a good time in my life,” she said. “The environment wasn’t healthy for me and my kids, so that’s what made me homeless. You can’t let the past define you. We all have a past, we all have a story. We just have to move on and motivate each other.”
At the new Plates to Go, Kitchen Manager Tamara Kafka escaped domestic-violence. A graduate of the St. Johns Shelter Program, Kafka tells CBS 13 in Sacramento, “It was not a good time in my life,” she said. “The environment wasn’t healthy for me and my kids, so that’s what made me homeless. You can’t let the past define you. We all have a past, we all have a story. We just have to move on and motivate each other.”
Tamara is no longer homeless. That makes it all worthwhile
for the Mulvaneys.
For more on passion, purpose and heart and how to find
your own passion and purpose in life. See Don’t Seek Success – Be Happi.
Be Great!
MB
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