Happy Birthday To Chris

Chris's birthday was on Friday. Brittney was nice enough to come watch the girls for a couple of hours so I could be up here by the time he got home from work. Chris really likes ribs and I decided to take him to Texas Roadhouse for his birthday dinner.

Texas Roadhouse opened in September and it always has a huge line and a long wait. When we have tried to go in the past there has always been a couple of hours wait. I called ahead about an hour and got our names on the waiting list so we only had to wait there for about 15 mins. Which was a good thing to consider the fact that it was freezing outside and the whole entryway was packed with people.

The amazing thing about this particular restaurant location is that all of the profits go to charity. Just because I think it is amazing what they are doing I am pasting an article telling about the location.

It's the first restaurant of its kind in the country, with all profits dedicated to help those less fortunate.

The charity is called Andy's Outreach, a program that helps Texas Roadhouse employees and their families in need ("Andy" is the company's cartoon armadillo mascot).

The roots of Andy's Outreach are born of tragedy.

A few years ago, Texas Roadhouse CEO G.J. Hart was attending a training seminar at the company headquarters in Louisville. While there, he met a 5-year veteran dishwasher named James Bryan, a deaf man and father to five children. He was impressed with Bryan and found out what an inspiration he was to all his co-workers. A few weeks after meeting Bryan, Hart learned the beloved employee had died from a heart attack, and organized an effort to pay for his funeral and help his surviving family members. Hart and others did more than help with family finances; the group eventually put all 5 children through college.

Since Bryan's death, the company charity has grown through employee contributions and other fund raisers, while helping hundreds of family members through some tough times. Eligible employees can get financial assistance when a child is born or when there is a death in the family.

More company's should be like this. Let's hope that this is something that can become a trend for other business's.