KATY MAGAZINE NEWS
July 18, 2022
By Natalie Cook Clark
The Howdy Homemade Ice Cream Katy location will celebrate their one-year with a big celebration to match their big mission to change the wat businesses work with special needs. Special needs individuals can enjoy free ice cream and the entire Katy community can celebrate with music, face painting, special guests, and more.
Anniversary Celebration this Friday
Howdy Homemade Ice Cream will celebrate their one-year anniversary of the Katy location (20920 Katy Freeway) this Friday, July 22, 2022. From 12:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Everyone can enjoy music, face painting, special guests, and free ice cream to all special needs individuals.
“I want to make this a day of appreciation for those who have supported us,” says owner Roderick Batson. “I’ve seen how our best marketing has come from people in the community bragging about us to other people in the community.”
Howdy Homemade Ice Cream is owned by Batson, who partnered with hip-hop artist Trae Tha Truth to open the Katy location of the popular franchise. Howdy Homemade Ice Cream is made and served by those with special needs. Their mission is to change and inspire the way businesses work with and hire this under employed group.
“My heroes are the individuals that work at Howdys,” says Batson. “They are the best at customer service because they don’t bring in real world problems into their lives.”
Batson says that he wants to inspire other businesses to follow what Howdys is doing by working with special needs employees. He knows that they are making a difference here in Katy as he’s seen business owners come in to see what they are doing.
“My ultimate goal is to light fire under other businesses to hire more special needs people,” says Batson.
The Katy location of Howdy Homemade Ice Cream has 25 employees and customers will see 3-4 employees working at a time. They have a waitlist of over 60 special needs people looking for employment.
Howdy Ice Cream at Katy ISD Football Games
Soon the popular and game changing ice cream company will be able to grow their number of employees because of new partnerships at University of Houston and Katy ISD.
Katyites who attend football games at Legacy and Rhodes Stadium will be able to purchase Howdy Homemade Ice Cream by their employees. The same will be true at any University of Houston sporting event.
“This is another opportunity for special needs people to work,” says Batson.
Howdy Homemade Ice Cream originally started in Dallas.
“Howdy gives people the opportunity to get in there and interact with people with special needs,” says Batson. “Friday is all about them and letting them thank the community.”
Special Guests Throughout the Day
All are invited to the party this Friday. A D.J. will be playing music and there will be face painting. Batson says that special guests will stop by throughout the day. Unspeakable Nathan will be there from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Follow Howdy Homemade Ice Cream online, Facebook and Instagram.