Latest news with #Dallas24HourClub
CBS News
7 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
From pancakes to purpose: How a Dallas cafe is changing lives
It might be one of the best breakfast joints in Dallas you've never heard of, but the Hubcap Cafe does more than serve larger-than-life pancakes. They change lives one meal at a time. "We have the best pancakes in Dallas," said the CEO of the Dallas 24 Hour Club. "That will run you $2 including tax." "It's the size of an actual hubcap," said the kitchen manager at the Hubcap Cafe, which serves the massive flapjacks. The manager runs the kitchen and is an artist when it comes to making their famous pancake. "You and your friend come in with only a dollar each. Both of you are going to eat and be full with just one pancake," he said. They're well-known for big portions for little cash. "It's down-home food, good food, and the portions—you can feed two people off any one plate off the menu," he said. But the small cafe is probably better known for changing lives—lives like the kitchen manager's. "Cooking has always been my passion. I always wanted to be a chef, I just never saw myself actually working in a kitchen with the choices I made in life," he said. "My day-to-day life before I was incarcerated was homeless, gambling, stealing, doing anything I could do to get money to survive, to find my next fix." He was doing drugs every day and stealing to pay for it until he was arrested. "I was facing 10 years," he said. But a deal with the drug court allowed him to avoid some of the most severe consequences if he got clean. That's when he found the Dallas 24 Hour Club. "We provide transitional living, support services, and essential life skills for homeless alcoholics and addicts," said the CEO. Some of the essential life skills the rehab facility provides are part of a job training program through their in-house restaurant, the Hubcap Cafe, where the kitchen manager was able to change his life in ways he could never imagine. "You hear a lot of people say, you'll get your life back. I never had the life that I have now. It's beyond anything I could have ever imagined," he said. Just a few years out of prison, he's sober and married with kids. And he's holding on to that new life, flipping pancakes and serving others who might just need a hot meal. "I'm so grateful to the Dallas 24 Hour Club for giving me the opportunity to become who I was always destined to be," he said. The Hubcap Cafe is open to the public, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., 365 days a year.
CBS News
06-06-2025
- Business
- CBS News
From recovery to opportunity: Dallas nonprofit expands with Trevor's Place
Helping people recover from addiction and build better lives is no easy task, but it's the mission of the Dallas 24 Hour Club. A new chapter: Trevor's Place under construction Dallas 24 Hour Club The nonprofit is currently constructing a new facility, Trevor's Place, designed to help individuals reenter the workforce and secure better-paying jobs. The project, in development since last year, is now becoming a reality. "This is going to be our development office," said CEO Tim Grigsby, as construction continues on the new site. Support beyond shelter: A holistic approach to recovery The Dallas 24 Hour Club provides transitional housing and support for people experiencing homelessness and addiction. Grigsby said the goal is to help individuals achieve permanent sobriety and avoid returning to homelessness, one way being through economic empowerment. "Our response to that is helping people increase their wages," Grigsby said. Meeting the cost of living: Economic empowerment through training According to an MIT study, a single adult must earn about $23 an hour to afford living in Dallas County. Trevor's Place aims to help residents reach that benchmark by offering wraparound services, including life skills classes, education, and 17-week certification programs. "Trevor's Place is also meant to increase outcomes," Grigsby added. A personal journey: From resident to CEO For Grigsby, the project is deeply personal. He once stayed at the 24 Hour Club himself. "I checked in to the 24 Hour Club on January 8, 2012, and it was the best decision I've ever made in my life," he said. "They didn't care what I'd done or where I'd been—they cared that I wanted to change my life." Now, as CEO, Grigsby calls it a full-circle moment. "Man, I'll remember those days for the rest of my life—staying at the 24 and building my life back," he said. Stories of strength: Messages of hope and recovery One wall at the facility is covered in heartfelt messages and signatures from those who've received help. Among them is project manager Josh Burnett, who is celebrating 11 years of sobriety. "It's cool—10 years ago I was sleeping on an air mattress and trying to find my way," Burnett said. "Now I get to work with the same people who helped me back then." Looking ahead: Opening soon and seeking support Behind every message is a story of recovery and resilience—stories that will continue, thanks to the mission of the Dallas 24 Hour Club. Trevor's Place is expected to open in September. The nonprofit is still fundraising for the project. To donate, visit:
