Join Us for the Enrich & Employ Ice Cream Social

Buy Your Ice Cream Social Tickets Here

On Sunday, September 13, from 1:00 to 3:00, we are gathering at The Ice Cream Company for an afternoon that is fun, meaningful, and very close to my heart.

The Enrich & Employ Ice Cream Social will include lunch, ice cream, a presentation, a raffle, and the opportunity to hear stories from participants in our unique job training program for adults with disabilities.

Tickets are $45 per person, and every ticket helps support the work of Enrich & Employ. Sponsorship opportunities are also available for individuals and local businesses that want to make an even greater impact. The link connected to this article will take you directly to the ticket, sponsorship, and donation information.

The event will be held at

The Ice Cream Company, located at 2401 East Orangeburg Avenue, Suite 650, in Modesto

Buy Your Ice Cream Social Tickets Here

You can purchase a ticket, choose a sponsorship level, or make a donation even if you cannot attend. However you choose to support us, you are helping create more opportunities for adults who face barriers to employment.

And yes, there will be ice cream. So we are already off to a pretty sweet start.

There are some places in our community that are easy to love.

The Ice Cream Company is one of them.

Maybe you have stopped in for a scoop after dinner. Maybe your family has celebrated a birthday there. Maybe you have shared a sundae with someone you love, grabbed lunch with a friend, or created one of those sweet little memories that stays with you longer than you expected.

It is a local favorite for a reason.

But what many people do not realize is that The Ice Cream Company is about so much more than ice cream.

Behind every scoop is a mission that is creating meaningful opportunities for people in our community. Through Enrich & Employ, The Ice Cream Company provides inclusive, hands on workforce training for adults who face barriers to employment, particularly people with disabilities and special needs. The program helps participants build workplace skills, confidence, independence, and experience that can support them as they work toward meaningful employment.

And honestly, that is where the real sweetness is.

I am incredibly proud to serve on the board and support an organization that is working to bridge the employment gap right here in Modesto. Serving on the board gives me the opportunity to be part of something that is practical, personal, and deeply rooted in our community.

This work matters because employment is about more than receiving a paycheck. It is about purpose, confidence, learning new skills, becoming more independent, contributing to a team, and feeling proud of what you can do.

For someone who has faced barriers to employment, getting that first opportunity can change everything.

The Ice Cream Company Is Not Your Ordinary Ice Cream Shop

On the surface, The Ice Cream Company is a longtime Modesto ice cream and sandwich shop.

It first opened in 1979 and has been part of the Century Center community for more than four decades. The shop is known for handmade, small batch ice cream, lunches, celebrations, and plenty of local memories.

But today, it is also both a nonprofit and a social enterprise.

That means the restaurant is not simply serving food and ice cream. It is also helping fund and support a mission. Restaurant sales help support the training program, while donations and grants allow Enrich & Employ to expand its reach and serve more people than restaurant income alone could support.

So yes, when you stop by for ice cream, you get something delicious.

But you are also supporting job training.

You are supporting confidence.

You are supporting independence.

You are supporting someone who deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and prove what they can do.

That is a pretty meaningful purpose for an ice cream cone.

The Ice Cream Company describes itself as ice cream that warms the heart, and I cannot think of a better way to say it.

There is something special about knowing that an ordinary decision, like grabbing dessert with your family, can be part of something much bigger.

You are not just buying a scoop.

You are helping create an opportunity.

What Does It Mean to Face a Barrier to Employment?

For many people, the path into the workforce feels fairly familiar. You fill out an application, submit a resume, interview, receive training, and start gaining experience. But that path is not equally accessible to everyone.

Some people are ready and willing to work but struggle to get an interview because they do not already have job experience. Others may need more coaching, extra time to practice, or a more supportive learning environment before they feel confident stepping into a traditional workplace.

There are also people who are capable of contributing but may be overlooked because they communicate differently, learn at a different pace, have a disability, are rebuilding their lives, or face another barrier that makes the typical hiring process more difficult.

That does not mean they do not have something valuable to offer. It often means they have not been given the right opportunity or support yet.

Enrich & Employ helps bridge that gap by creating a place where participants can gain practical experience in a working restaurant. They are not simply talking about what a job might look like. They are learning in a real environment where there are customers to serve, tasks to complete, standards to meet, and teammates depending on one another.

That kind of hands on learning matters because employers often want candidates who already understand how a workplace operates. They may be looking for someone who can follow directions, communicate with coworkers, complete tasks, stay organized, and work as part of a team.

But someone has to provide the first opportunity to learn those things.

That is where Enrich & Employ comes in. The program gives participants a supportive space to practice workplace skills, build experience, and become more comfortable in a professional environment. It also gives them something meaningful to include on a resume and real experiences they can talk about during a future interview.

Just as importantly, it gives participants a chance to discover what they enjoy, where they feel confident, and what kinds of tasks may be a good fit for them. Instead of being defined by the barriers they have faced, they get the opportunity to show what they can do.

Bridging the Gap Starts With a Real Opportunity

Talent can exist without opportunity, and potential can exist without experience.

A person can be hardworking, dependable, kind, and eager to learn, but still have a difficult time getting through the traditional hiring process. Sometimes the biggest challenge is not whether someone is capable of doing the work. It is finding an employer or training program willing to give them a genuine chance to begin.

That is what makes the mission behind The Ice Cream Company and Enrich & Employ so meaningful. The goal is not to lower expectations or create busywork. The goal is to provide real training in a real workplace, with the guidance and patience participants may need to grow.

The restaurant setting offers a natural place for that learning to happen. There are clear tasks, routines, customer interactions, and opportunities to practice teamwork. Participants can learn through repetition, receive feedback, and gradually become more independent as their skills improve.

It is easy to underestimate how powerful that first opportunity can be. When someone begins learning a new task, they may feel unsure or nervous. As they practice, they start to become more comfortable. Eventually, that uncertainty can turn into confidence.

They are no longer thinking, “I do not know if I can do this.”

They are beginning to think, “I know how to do this, and I am getting better.”

That shift matters. Confidence is not always something people have before they begin. Very often, confidence grows because someone gave them a safe, supportive place to try.

What Participants Can Learn in a Working Restaurant

A restaurant provides many different ways to build valuable workplace skills. Participants may learn about customer service, food preparation, cleaning, organization, teamwork, communication, and time management.

They also learn what it means to show up, follow a process, complete a task carefully, listen to feedback, and contribute to a team. These are skills that can transfer into many different types of employment, not only restaurant work.

Learning how to greet a customer can help someone become more confident interacting with the public. Learning how to follow instructions can prepare someone for a job in retail, hospitality, food service, janitorial work, or another structured environment.

Cleaning and maintaining a workspace teaches responsibility and attention to detail. Completing a task from beginning to end helps build independence. Working alongside other people gives participants experience communicating, asking questions, and recognizing that their role matters to the larger team.

These may sound like simple things to someone who has already been in the workforce for years, but for a person trying to gain their first job experience, every one of those skills can be an important step forward.

The value is not only in learning how to perform a specific task. It is also in learning how a workplace feels and functions. Participants have the chance to become familiar with schedules, expectations, routines, and teamwork in a setting where support is available.

That structure can make the transition into future employment feel much less overwhelming.

Employment Builds More Than a Resume

A resume is important. Training is important. Practical job skills are important. But the impact of employment can go much deeper than that.

Work can provide structure and routine. It can create connection and help someone feel like part of a team. It can give a person a sense of purpose and the pride that comes from knowing their contribution matters.

Employment can also support greater independence. Earning money, learning how to manage responsibilities, and gaining confidence in a workplace can give someone more choices in their own life.

For people who have been overlooked or underestimated, the chance to work and learn can also change the way they see themselves. They may have spent years hearing about what they cannot do or being defined by the challenges they face.

A supportive training environment gives them space to discover something different. They can begin to recognize their own strengths, see their progress, and understand that they are capable of learning valuable skills.

That is why this mission is about more than preparing someone for a job. It is also about helping people build confidence, experience greater independence, and feel seen for what they can contribute.

Why This Mission Means So Much to Me

This mission is personal for me.

My brother was born with brain damage, and he is older than I am. For as long as I can remember, he has loved going to his day program. He enjoys the routine, the people, and having somewhere to go, but he was always happiest when he had a job to do.

Sometimes his day program would take him to a local business, like a pizza place, before it opened. He would help clean the tables, vacuum the floors, and get the space ready for the day.

He absolutely loved it.

There was something about being given a responsibility and knowing that his work mattered that made him so happy. He had a purpose. He was contributing. He was part of something.

Watching that stayed with me.

My brother is not able to participate in the Enrich & Employ program, but seeing how much joy and confidence he experienced when he had meaningful work is a big part of why I wanted to become involved with The Ice Cream Company.

I know what an opportunity like this can mean, not only for the person participating, but for their family too.

Employment is about so much more than earning a paycheck. It can provide routine, connection, confidence, pride, and a sense of purpose. It gives someone the chance to say, “I have something to offer. I am needed here. I am part of this team.”

That matters deeply to me.

Serving on the board gives me a way to use my time, my voice, and my connections to help create more opportunities for people who face barriers to employment. My hope is that the work I do to support The Ice Cream Company and Enrich & Employ helps put more people in a better position to learn, grow, gain confidence, and experience the pride that comes from having a job to do.

I love Modesto, and I love the way our community shows up for one another. I also love organizations that do not simply talk about making a difference, but create practical ways for people to experience that difference in their everyday lives.

This work is local. It is personal. And it is creating opportunities for people who may not have been given the same chances elsewhere.

As a Realtor, I spend a lot of time talking about homes, neighborhoods, and what makes a community feel special. But a strong community is about more than the houses in it. It is about the people who live there and whether they feel valued, supported, and included.

It is about creating places where people have the opportunity to learn, contribute, and grow. It is about families knowing that their loved ones are being encouraged rather than overlooked. It is about local businesses and community members deciding that everyone deserves a chance to build skills and pursue meaningful work.

That is why this mission means so much to me.

Every Purchase Has a Purpose

One of the things I love most about The Ice Cream Company is that supporting the mission can be part of an ordinary day.

You can bring your family in for dessert. You can meet a friend for lunch. You can order an ice cream cake for a celebration or choose The Ice Cream Company when you need catering.

You get to enjoy something delicious, and at the same time, you are supporting an organization that is creating training and employment opportunities in our community.

Community support does not always have to look like one large donation or a huge commitment. Often, it is many people making small, intentional choices over time.

One family comes in after a game. One group of friends meets for lunch. One customer tells someone else about the mission. One person shares a post. Another person attends a fundraiser.

Those choices add up.

They help more people learn about the program, and they help create the support needed to continue serving participants.

It is a reminder that we can make a difference through the places we choose to visit and the local organizations we choose to support.

A Local Business With Deep Modesto Roots

The Ice Cream Company has been part of Modesto for many years, and for many local families, it is connected to memories.

It may be where someone celebrated a birthday, shared a sundae with their children, stopped after school, or met a friend for lunch. Those moments may seem small at the time, but they become part of the stories people remember about growing up or raising a family in Modesto.

That history makes the mission even more meaningful.

The Ice Cream Company has always been a place where people gather. Now it is also a place where people can learn, grow, and build skills for their future.

I love the idea that a business known for happy memories can also help create new opportunities. It shows what can happen when a local business becomes deeply connected to the needs of its community.

Local businesses can be more than places where we make purchases. They can become part of the character of a city. They can create jobs, build relationships, support local families, and find meaningful ways to give back.

The Ice Cream Company is a beautiful example of that.

Inclusion Becomes Real When People Have a Place to Participate

We hear the word inclusion often, but true inclusion is about more than inviting someone into a space.

It is about making sure they have a meaningful role once they are there. It means creating an environment where people can learn, contribute, and grow, even when they may need a different level or type of support.

At The Ice Cream Company, inclusion becomes practical. Participants are gaining experience, learning tasks, working toward goals, and becoming part of a team.

They are not simply being observed or included in name only. They are being given the opportunity to participate.

That distinction matters.

Everyone learns differently. Some people may need clearer instructions, more repetition, extra patience, or more time to feel comfortable. Providing that support does not mean lowering expectations. It means creating a path that gives someone the chance to meet them.

It also allows the broader community to see people for their abilities rather than making assumptions based on a disability or another barrier.

Customers may see participants working, learning, and becoming more confident. Those everyday interactions can quietly challenge misconceptions and help people understand the value of inclusive employment.

Sometimes the most meaningful advocacy happens through ordinary moments. It happens when people work beside one another, learn from one another, and recognize strengths they may not have noticed before.

Why Employers Should Care About Inclusive Training

This mission is important for participants and their families, but it is also important for employers.

Businesses need people who are dependable, willing to learn, and ready to contribute. They need team members who can follow a process, communicate, complete tasks, and work alongside others.

Inclusive job training helps prepare people to do those things while also encouraging employers to consider candidates they may have otherwise overlooked.

A limited resume does not always mean a lack of ability. A different communication style does not mean someone is not capable. Needing clear instructions or additional practice does not mean a person cannot become an excellent employee.

Sometimes the traditional hiring process is built around one narrow idea of what a strong candidate should look or sound like. That can cause employers to miss people who may become loyal, hardworking, and valuable members of their team.

Training programs like Enrich & Employ help participants gain the experience they need to enter the workforce with more confidence. They also help create a bridge between people who want to work and local employers who need good employees.

That is good for the participant, good for the employer, and good for the community.

Why Community Support Matters

The need for employment training does not disappear when funding becomes difficult.

People continue to look for opportunities. Families continue searching for programs that can support their loved ones. Participants may be ready and excited to begin, but there are only so many people an organization can serve without adequate resources.

That is why community support matters so much.

When people donate, attend a fundraiser, purchase from the restaurant, or help spread the word, they are supporting more than an organization. They are helping create the possibility for another participant to begin training.

A fundraiser is not simply an event to add to the calendar. It is a way to turn community support into practical opportunities.

The money raised can help provide training and support the program as it continues working to serve more people. It can help reduce the amount of time someone has to wait for their chance to begin.

Of course, we want fundraisers to be fun. We want people to come together, enjoy themselves, and feel connected to the mission. But the reason behind the event is what matters most.

We want more people to have access to training. We want more participants to build confidence and workplace skills. We want more families to know that there are people in their community who believe in what their loved one can do.

There Are Many Ways to Be Part of the Mission

Not everyone is able to serve on a board. Not everyone can make a large donation or commit hours of time to volunteering.

That is completely okay.

There are many ways to support The Ice Cream Company and Enrich & Employ.

You can visit the restaurant and bring your family for ice cream. You can order lunch, choose them for catering, or purchase a dessert for a celebration.

You can tell a friend about the mission or share information with someone who may benefit from the training program. You can attend a fundraiser, make a donation, or ask about ways to get more involved.

You can also share a social media post or invite a local employer to learn more about inclusive hiring and employment training.

Every person has different resources, connections, and amounts of time available. The important thing is knowing that support does not have to look the same for everyone.

Even simply helping more people understand the mission can make a difference.

The more our community knows about Enrich & Employ, the more opportunities there are for participants, families, donors, volunteers, and employers to connect with the organization.

Supporting Local Means Supporting People

We hear a lot about the importance of shopping local, and there are many good reasons to do it.

Local businesses create jobs, support families, contribute to the character of a city, and often give back to local schools, teams, events, and organizations.

Supporting The Ice Cream Company carries an added layer of meaning because the business is connected to workforce training and opportunity.

When you visit, you are supporting a place that is helping people gain experience in a working environment. You are helping create a supportive space where someone can learn, build confidence, and move closer to employment.

That is why this story is about so much more than ice cream.

It is about what can happen when a local business looks at the resources it already has and asks how those resources can be used to meet a real need.

The Ice Cream Company has a working restaurant, customers, daily tasks, and people who can teach. Enrich & Employ brings those pieces together and turns them into a training opportunity.

It is practical, thoughtful, and deeply connected to our community.

The Real Sweetness Is in the Mission

Of course, we still have to talk about the ice cream.

The Ice Cream Company is a fun place to stop for something sweet, grab lunch, celebrate, or spend time with people you care about.

But when you know the mission behind it, your visit feels even more special.

You begin to notice that your purchase is connected to something bigger. You are not only enjoying ice cream or lunch. You are helping support an organization that believes people deserve the opportunity to learn, grow, and work.

That is why I keep coming back to the same message.

Come for the ice cream, stay for the mission.

Bring your family. Tell your friends. Learn more about Enrich & Employ. Ask how you can support the work.

Sometimes making a difference really can be as simple as choosing where you stop for dessert.

Join Us and Learn More

I am so proud to serve on the board and help share the work being done through Enrich & Employ.

Our mission is to help bridge the employment gap for people who face barriers to employment. We want participants to have the opportunity to learn real skills in a working environment, build confidence, experience greater independence, and move toward meaningful employment.

Most of all, we want people to be recognized for what they are capable of doing.

This mission grows when the community knows about it and chooses to be part of it.

For more information about The Ice Cream Company, Enrich & Employ, or the upcoming fundraiser, click the link connected to this post.

Come for a scoop, stay for the story, and help us create more opportunities right here in our community.

Get Your Ticket or Become a Sponsor

I would love for you to join us at the Enrich & Employ Ice Cream Social on Sunday, September 13, from 1:00 to 3:00 at The Ice Cream Company in Modesto.

Your $45 ticket includes lunch, ice cream, the presentation, and the opportunity to hear directly from participants in the job training program. There will also be a raffle with prizes, including an Apple Watch and a weekend cabin stay near Yosemite.

Sponsorship opportunities are available for individuals and local businesses that want to support the program in a bigger way. You can also make a donation if you are unable to attend.

Click the link connected to this article to purchase tickets, review the sponsorship opportunities, or make a donation.

Come enjoy lunch and something sweet, hear the stories behind the mission, and help us create more opportunities for adults who face barriers to employment.

Come for the ice cream, stay for the mission.

Jaci Tidmarsh

Rand Residential

DRE #01730160

📲 209-204-3509

📩 [email protected]