Golden String Inc. Opens Restaurant in Oakhill Place
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- When Golden String Inc. was approached about opening a restaurant in Oakhill Renaissance Place, the organization showed no hesitation in answering with a resounding “Yes!”
Named for Joe Gallagher, the group's first client who died several years ago, the organization will officially open Gallagher's Lunch Bucket Monday.
“He would always bring a lunch bucket with him. When we were approached to open a cafeteria, we knew right away that this would be an ode to Joe Gallagher. He continues to inspire us even though he's not with us,” says Golden String public relations director Megan Perencevic.
The kitchen at Oakhill hadn't been used in two decades, she says, resulting in a complete overhaul over the past eight months.
“It was like a ghost town in there. We had to redo everything and redevelop the kitchen. A lot of the kitchen equipment was outdated,” she continues.
The Lunch Bucket will employ about 25 clients from Golden String and Purple Cat. Both work with adults with disabilities. A branch of Touch the Moon Candy Saloon, also run by Purple Cat, is already open in Oakhill.
“All of our clients that work there are in our day program for adults with disabilities. What we're trying to do is foster their skills,” Perencevic says. “They'll develop working skills by working with the community, working with money, things like that.”
Employees have already worked in the Purple Cat's mission kitchen, she adds, and before that, few had ever cooked.
“We had a mission kitchen at one of our Purple Cat sites where we provided lunch for our clients. A lot of these people had never cooked before in their lives, but they came out as really good cooks,” she says. “They love it. It's a skill they have that they can take anywhere they want.”
Learning life skills is a key aspect of the mission of Golden String. Gallagher's Lunch Bucket is simply another opportunity for the clients to get into the community and learn those skills, Perencevic explains. Here, they can learn to cook and count money, all while getting out and interacting with people, she adds.
The Lunch Bucket, which will offer light breakfasts and lunches, will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. every weekday.
Copyright 2014 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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