1 00:00:04,160 --> 00:00:09,000 Speaker 1: Hello, friends, Welcome to Story Behind podcast. This is the 2 00:00:09,039 --> 00:00:12,200 Speaker 1: show for people who love hearing a good story and 3 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:15,720 Speaker 1: who believe the world could use more positivity. We're the 4 00:00:15,720 --> 00:00:18,919 Speaker 1: team behind God Updates and God Too, and we hope 5 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:21,560 Speaker 1: these weekly short stories will brighten your day. 6 00:00:27,040 --> 00:00:30,000 Speaker 2: California family launches pizzeria to help their daughter with special 7 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:33,800 Speaker 2: needs Thrive. Written by Heather Rigglemann, read by Jully Provosts. 8 00:00:34,720 --> 00:00:36,959 Speaker 2: A California family launched a pizzeria to help their daughter 9 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:39,200 Speaker 2: with special needs Strive, and I can help, but leaning 10 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:42,080 Speaker 2: closely because as a mom of three neodvirgent kids myself, 11 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:45,159 Speaker 2: stories like this don't just make the headlines, they reshape 12 00:00:45,159 --> 00:00:48,680 Speaker 2: the way hope breathes inside our everyday lives. Closed doors 13 00:00:48,680 --> 00:00:51,360 Speaker 2: are painful, they echo with questions, with waiting rooms with 14 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:54,520 Speaker 2: forms filled out and calls never returned. But sometimes those 15 00:00:54,760 --> 00:00:57,880 Speaker 2: very shut doors become the soil. God presses seeds into 16 00:00:58,320 --> 00:01:00,600 Speaker 2: sees that look small at first, but somehow grow into 17 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:03,960 Speaker 2: beauty that others can't help but gather around. That is 18 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:06,920 Speaker 2: what began with the Baker family in Alpine, California. Josh 19 00:01:06,959 --> 00:01:09,160 Speaker 2: and Amy watching their nineteen year old daughter Grace try 20 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:11,920 Speaker 2: again and again to be hired. Grace has Down syndrome, 21 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:14,560 Speaker 2: and like countless young adults with special needs, she heard 22 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:17,119 Speaker 2: more silence than yes. Finding a job is just very 23 00:01:17,120 --> 00:01:19,960 Speaker 2: hard with someone with special needs, Josh explained, And then 24 00:01:20,040 --> 00:01:23,000 Speaker 2: came the moment love turned into courage. Josh turned to 25 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:25,319 Speaker 2: his wife and asked, why don't we just start something 26 00:01:25,319 --> 00:01:28,360 Speaker 2: on our own. That's when possibility rose. Grace has always 27 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:30,480 Speaker 2: loved two things, pizza and people, so when they opened 28 00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:33,880 Speaker 2: the little restaurant named Peaceabilities, she became a co owner. 29 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:39,080 Speaker 2: When someone asked what she does, Grace slid up and said, sauce, cheese, 30 00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:41,640 Speaker 2: and toppings. That is dignity, that is belonging. That is 31 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:45,040 Speaker 2: purpose wrapped in mozzarella. But here's where it blooms wider. 32 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:47,640 Speaker 2: The Bakers didn't stop with Grace. They started hiring others 33 00:01:47,680 --> 00:01:49,720 Speaker 2: for special needs young adults who had never been offered 34 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:53,280 Speaker 2: meaningful work. Josh said, tears just started flowing when the 35 00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:56,920 Speaker 2: kids say, you mean, I'm really hired. Then he watched 36 00:01:56,920 --> 00:01:59,520 Speaker 2: their parents cry too, because someone finally saw their child 37 00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:03,080 Speaker 2: as capable, worthy included. And my heart whispers, yes, Lord, 38 00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:05,400 Speaker 2: more of this, because inclusion isn't an idea, it's a 39 00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:08,200 Speaker 2: place at the table. Customers now come not just to 40 00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:10,800 Speaker 2: support the mission, but because the pizza is generally good. 41 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 2: One regular, Robert Roeberger, said he keeps returning because they 42 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:17,480 Speaker 2: really work hard to put this all together. And now 43 00:02:17,480 --> 00:02:20,000 Speaker 2: a family with no restaurant background is partnering with veteran 44 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:23,560 Speaker 2: restaurantor Ron Berner to restore old Italian recipes such as 45 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:27,320 Speaker 2: handmade meatballs and classic lasagna. Printed across every staff shirt 46 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:30,440 Speaker 2: are these words where pizza and abilities rise together rise. 47 00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:33,320 Speaker 2: That word stays with me because we need people everywhere 48 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:37,880 Speaker 2: see differently, who think differently, who bring detail, heart, patience, creativity, resilience, 49 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:41,519 Speaker 2: people like those now hired at Peace Abilities. Love makes 50 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:44,040 Speaker 2: room and now others get to walk through. If you 51 00:02:44,080 --> 00:02:46,680 Speaker 2: know someone who needs encouragement, or who is praying for 52 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:49,639 Speaker 2: belonging for their child, or who needs a glimpse of 53 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:52,480 Speaker 2: redemption sewn into real life, share the story. It may 54 00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:54,959 Speaker 2: just remind them that the yes that they're waiting for 55 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:58,639 Speaker 2: it still possible. Ephesians two ten. For we are God's 56 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:01,079 Speaker 2: handiwork created in Christy use us to do good works, 57 00:03:01,280 --> 00:03:16,160 Speaker 2: which parent prepared an advance for us to do. Young 58 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:18,120 Speaker 2: boy was only five years old when he started a 59 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 2: Christmas card campaign for veterans written by Markay that Gardoni 60 00:03:21,720 --> 00:03:24,679 Speaker 2: read by Juli Provost. Ten year old boy from North 61 00:03:24,720 --> 00:03:27,639 Speaker 2: Carolina is helping veterans during Christmas in a very special way. 62 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:30,440 Speaker 2: Every year since he was five, Tucker Rose has collected 63 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:34,000 Speaker 2: thousands of cards to give to veterans. He distributed eleven 64 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:38,680 Speaker 2: five hundred cards since twenty twenty. They started during COVID 65 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:40,760 Speaker 2: in twenty twenty, and we knew that the veterans couldn't 66 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:42,800 Speaker 2: get visitors, and so we wanted to collect cards so 67 00:03:42,840 --> 00:03:45,680 Speaker 2: that they could have some happiness to their Christmases, said Tucker. 68 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:48,520 Speaker 2: It's really nice because some of them they don't have 69 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:51,280 Speaker 2: any family to come visit, and so they're the most 70 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:54,920 Speaker 2: excited whenever we bring them Christmas cards, Tucker said. Tucker 71 00:03:54,920 --> 00:03:57,640 Speaker 2: and his family didn't expect his Salute to Veterans Christmas 72 00:03:57,680 --> 00:03:59,839 Speaker 2: card drive to gain as much attention as it has. 73 00:04:00,360 --> 00:04:02,760 Speaker 2: Last year, we got over five thousand cards, Tucker said. 74 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:06,280 Speaker 2: All the Christmas cards collected are sorted into buddles and 75 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:10,240 Speaker 2: tied with pretty ribbons. On Christmas Day, we drive to Kingston, 76 00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:13,560 Speaker 2: North Carolina and hand delivered the cards to our amazing veterans. 77 00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:16,279 Speaker 2: It's honoring our veterans and preserving history, it says on 78 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:20,120 Speaker 2: Tucker's website. In Tucker's mailbox, when asked if Tucker has 79 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:22,240 Speaker 2: any Christmas bushes for himself, he says that he just 80 00:04:22,279 --> 00:04:25,159 Speaker 2: wants more Christmas cards. Tucker would love more cards to 81 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:27,000 Speaker 2: give to veterans this year, which can be sent to 82 00:04:27,080 --> 00:04:31,000 Speaker 2: Salute to Veterans three oh two South Stingray Lane, sneins Ferry, 83 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:34,560 Speaker 2: North Carolina two eight four six to zero. Tucker also 84 00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:37,520 Speaker 2: writes letters to active duty members, including those from NASA. 85 00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:40,240 Speaker 2: He has worked with Military Missions and Actions, filled the 86 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:42,640 Speaker 2: foot Locker program every year since twenty twenty one and 87 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:46,080 Speaker 2: has contributed three thousand letters to their care package. Tucker 88 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:47,760 Speaker 2: is a bright boy with a big heart. It's great 89 00:04:47,760 --> 00:04:50,400 Speaker 2: that he has supportive family that helps make his generous 90 00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:53,280 Speaker 2: dreams possible. Thanks to him, veterans Christmases will be a 91 00:04:53,279 --> 00:04:56,440 Speaker 2: little brighter. For the poor shall never cease out of 92 00:04:56,480 --> 00:04:59,440 Speaker 2: the land. Therefore I command thee, saying thou shalt surely 93 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:02,560 Speaker 2: open thine hand unto thy brother, to thy needy, and 94 00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:06,080 Speaker 2: to thy poor in thy land. Deuteronomy fifteen eleven. 95 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:18,080 Speaker 1: Thank you so much, for listening to Story Behind podcast. 96 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 1: We're really glad you joined us for this week's story. 97 00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:24,080 Speaker 1: To see photos and videos that may have been referenced 98 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:26,960 Speaker 1: in this episode, check out the links and the show notes, 99 00:05:27,480 --> 00:05:30,440 Speaker 1: And if you enjoyed what you heard today, subscribe to 100 00:05:30,440 --> 00:05:34,039 Speaker 1: our podcast and please tell a friend about us. We'd 101 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:36,080 Speaker 1: also love it if you'd rate us and leave us 102 00:05:36,080 --> 00:05:39,040 Speaker 1: a review. It really does help more people find us. 103 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:42,320 Speaker 1: Story Behind is a Salem Web Network production.