Phoenix, AZ (February 9, 2023) – Today, Café Momentum—a top-rated restaurant that is almost entirely staffed by youth who have experienced the juvenile justice system—has teamed up with Players Coalition and Stand Together Foundation to bring its innovative model to the Super Bowl for the second year in a row to show that there is a better way to support justice-involved youth.
The two-day, food truck pop-up at Radio Row and the NFL Experience will take place on Thursday and Friday, Feb. 9 and 10 and will be open from 11am-1pm MT for credentialed media and athletes providing free lunch and 3pm-10pm MT for the general public providing free samples. The pop-up will bring together athletes, including NFL Legend, Players Coalition Member and Stand Together Ambassador Shaun Alexander; Players Coalition Co-founder, 2015 Walter Payton Man of the Year and Super Bowl XLVII Champion, Anquan Boldin; NFL linebacker and Stand Together Ambassador Dhani Jones; criminal justice reform advocate Alice Marie Johnson; credentialed media; and fans to enjoy Café Momentum's famous hot honey chicken and biscuits—a staple from Café Momentum's brick-and-mortar restaurants.
The meal will be prepared and served by graduates and Ambassadors of the Momentum program giving attendees the opportunity to meet young people who have been placed into the juvenile system and witness what they can accomplish with the right support and opportunities.
"When kids exit the juvenile justice system, they lack the support and resources they need to be successful. Our model has proven that when communities build an ecosystem of support around a young person, our youth can achieve their full potential," said Chad Houser, CEO and Founder of Café Momentum and Momentum Advisory Collective. "We are honored to take part in the Super Bowl again this year in partnership with the Players Coalition and Stand Together Foundation. We are spreading awareness of the failures of our nation's juvenile justice system by offering a better way to transform the lives of justice-impacted youth."
The Momentum model was co-created with the youth it serves, and the vision is to inspire a new model for youth justice. Of a recent cohort of youth, zero percent have been adjudicated or reconvicted. These youth are gaining life skills, education, and employment opportunities to help them lead lives of meaning and contribution.
"Without Café Momentum and their support system, I wouldn't be where I am today; physically and mentally, I'm in a better place. My purpose is to help and motivate others," said Adela Rodriguez, 18, Momentum Ambassador. "Now I am at the Super Bowl and excited to help create change! Thank you, Players Coalition and Stand Together Foundation, for making this happen, believing in and empowering us to reach our full potential."
This pop-up activation is the latest collaboration between Café Momentum, Players Coalition, and Stand Together Foundation. The partners have hosted previous events with NFL athletes and Legends including a pop-up dinner in Miami for Super Bowl LIV and a pop-up food truck and black carpet dinner for Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles.
"The future of all American youth matters. Too many of our young people don't have the leaders or support they need for success. This is even more prevalent with our juvenile justice system," said Shaun Alexander, NFL Legend and Stand Together Ambassador. "Café Momentum has created one of the most positive, influential models I've seen for justice-impacted youth. They are creating a family for the kids in the juvenile justice system and the results are winning their futures. I believe this can change the juvenile justice system and like I've said before, my goal is to have a Café Momentum in all NFL cities. Activating at the Super Bowl is a step closer to making that a reality. The partnership of organizations like the NFL, Players Coalition, and Stand Together Foundation is instrumental in helping this transformational organization expand its reach."
"Players Coalition is honored to collaborate with like-minded organizations like Café Momentum to host this event," said Anquan Boldin, Players Coalition Co-founder, 2015 Walter Payton Man of the Year and Super Bowl XLVII Champion. "As athletes, we have a fortunate opportunity to amplify what our communities desperately need. Right now, they need change for our youth who are exiting the justice system. That change starts with us. By partnering with NFL Inspire Change, Café Momentum, and Stand Together, we all hope to continue to bring awareness of our current juvenile justice system and the need for programs like this that will reshape young lives."
"Café Momentum is doing ground-breaking work for justice-involved youth and building national awareness of our current juvenile justice system," said Dhani Jones, Former NFL Athlete, Entrepreneur, and Stand Together Ambassador. "I am grateful to the NFL and Players Coalition for embracing this important issue and I am humbled by the opportunity to share this experience with Café Momentum as a proud partner of Stand Together Foundation."
"I'm proud to be a part of Stand Together Foundation's mission to empower others to become the best versions of themselves," said Alice Marie Johnson, CEO of Taking Action for Good (TAG), Criminal Justice Reform Advocate, and Stand Together Ambassador. "Programs like Cafe Momentum are critical because they hold people accountable while also uplifting them and helping them get on the path to success. This program is proving that, when given the proper support from the community, the sky is the limit for these young and talented individuals. I'm inspired by what the young men and women at Café Momentum have achieved, and by what the program's model could mean for the many justice-impacted young people across the country."
"Hundreds of thousands of kids cycle through the broken juvenile justice system each year. Stand Together's longstanding partnership with the Players Coalition and Café Momentum brings us back to the Super Bowl this year to show the country there's a better way – one that breaks the cycle of incarceration and brings out the best in justice-involved youth," said Brian Hooks, Chairman and CEO of Stand Together and Chairman of Stand Together Foundation. "And to prove it, they're putting out some of best food at the Super Bowl!"
To learn more about how you can get involved in Momentum's mission to create change for youth justice, visit createchange4youthjustice.com
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About Café Momentum & Momentum Advisory Collective
Café Momentum is an award-winning restaurant and culinary training facility. We aim to transform young lives by equipping our community's justice-involved youth with life skills, education and employment opportunities to help them achieve their full potential. In building Café Momentum, our primary goal is to build a sustainable model that provides justice-impacted youth (ages 15-19) with the holistic support they need to truly thrive. To learn more, visit www.cafemomentum.org. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
Momentum Advisory Collective (M.A.C.), the parent of company of Café Momentum, is expanding the Momentum model for youth justice by building programs that expand opportunities for justice-involved youth to reach their full potential with the holistic support of their community. Café Momentum has expanded into Nashville and Pittsburgh and is exploring in Denver, Houston, Atlanta, Baltimore and Boston for their next location. Visit momentumadvisory.co and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube to learn more.
About Players Coalition
Players Coalition is an independent 501(c)(3) (charity) and 501(c)(4) (advocacy) organization, working with professional athletes, coaches and owners across leagues to improve social justice and racial equality in our country. Founded in 2017 by NFL players Anquan Boldin and Malcolm Jenkins, Players Coalition continues to grow exponentially with representation from more than 1,500 athlete advocates across 12 professional leagues. For more information follow @playerscoalition on Instagram and Facebook and @playercoalition on Twitter.
About Stand Together Foundation
Stand Together Foundation is committed to breaking the cycle of poverty in America by driving change from within communities. We are building a community of social entrepreneurs who believe in people, work from the bottom up, and unite with anyone to do right. Since 2016, we have committed over $120 million and counting to fuel the innovation of nonprofits throughout the country to build stronger, safer communities where all people can learn, contribute, and realize their full potential. Our goal is to help nonprofit leaders maximize their impact to transform more lives out of poverty. Learn more at www.standtogetherfoundation.org.
