Fresh start in the kitchen: Ruthie’s Café helps rebuild lives in South Dallas

Story by Cecilie Brattli

Cintarius “CJ” McGaskey of South Dallas knows rejection all too well. He also knows redemption. 

He says he felt frustrated for months when he was looking for a job a few years ago. Despite all of his efforts, he was often left discouraged by employers who turned him down.

McGaskey, 24, says his criminal record felt like an insurmountable obstacle.

“I was trying to show them I was actually capable of the job, but it still was not working,” McGaskey says.

McGaskey’s luck changed when he discovered Ruthie’s, a grilled cheese food truck business in Dallas. Ruthie’s recently opened Ruthie’s Café, its first brick-and-mortar location, at 1632 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in South Dallas. The grand opening is set for Monday, Feb. 24, with proceeds benefitting nearby St. Philip’s School and Community Center.

Through Ruthie’s second chance employment program, McGaskey found not only a job as a shift leader but a chance for a fresh start.

“They are going to give you the opportunities and put you in the position that you need to be in to help you grow,” McGaskey says.

Ruthie’s second chance employment program provides job and rehabilitation opportunities for individuals impacted by the justice system. As a shift leader, McGaskey is responsible for overseeing all operations during his shift. 

“My role is crucial in ensuring smooth operations, providing guidance to the team, and upholding standards of performance, conduct, and safety,” he says.

Finding a job is not always easy for someone with a difficult past, such as a criminal background, or other challenges such as being unhoused. 

The unemployment rate for the 75215 zip code, which represents the neighborhoods along MLK Jr. Boulevard, is 4 percent, slightly higher than the 3.7 percent rate for the Dallas metropolitan area, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The same zip code also has reported some of the highest percentage of incarcerated adults in Texas, but that number has declined since 2019, according to Commit, an organization that partners with Dallas County schools and workforce to cultivate socioeconomic opportunities.

The need for second chance programs is largely a response to return dignity to the unhoused and provide opportunities to those formerly in the prison system. 

The U.S. incarceration rate has quadrupled over the past 40 years, according to National Academies, an organization that provides advice for the formation of policy and solutions to societal needs and challenges. A study by the Bureau of Justice of recently released prisoners revealed that 81.9 percent are likely to be re-arrested within 10 years of their release. However, stable and high-quality employment, like the jobs provided by Ruthie’s, can correlate significantly with lower rates of recidivism.

“My approach is seeing a person as being human first. Take a chance on people. Don’t see them for where they have been. Don’t look at them for the mistake they made.” – Chelmek Jackson

Chelmek Jackson, a social worker and employment development liaison at Ruthie’s, has seen firsthand the transformative power of job opportunities. Nearly 95 percent of Ruthie’s staff consists of individuals in need of a second chance, and Jackson is committed to ensuring they have the support they need to succeed.

A former correctional officer, Jackson describes her role at Ruthie’s as a “full-circle moment.”

“My approach is to seeing a person as human being first,” she says. “Take a chance on people. Don’t see them for where they have been. Don’t look at them for the mistakes they have made.”

Ruthie’s fosters a holistic work environment where employees receive not only job training but also help accessing critical resources such as transportation and housing assistance. Jackson works closely with team members, listening to their needs and helping them navigate challenges so they can achieve long-term stability.

This commitment to second-chance employment is strengthened through Ruthie’s partnership with Unlocking Doors, a Dallas-based nonprofit dedicated to helping individuals successfully reenter society through meaningful employment.

“Our partnership with Ruthie’s has been incredible because they truly understand and appreciate the challenges that come with second-chance employment, just like we do,” says Cristina Melton Craine, president and CEO of Unlocking Doors. “With case managers on both teams who deeply understand what our clients are going through, we can provide the kind of support that fosters confidence and self-sufficiency.”

Craine hopes this collaboration will serve as a model for how organizations can come together to create life-changing opportunities for individuals impacted by the justice system — helping them rewrite their futures for the better.

Unlocking Doors helped Alonzo Anderson to become a proud recipient of Ruthie’s second chance at employment. Now, as the executive chef for the past 15 months, Anderson takes pride in the “special flavor” that comes from his cooking. 

“Some people cook, and some people cook with their hearts,” he says.

Prior to Ruthie’s, Anderson had been incarcerated three times before determining something had to change. 

“Many people want to change but don’t know how and find themselves trapped in their own minds,” he says.

Anderson is thankful for Ruthie’s every day, saying his job has been a key factor in staying out of trouble and finding purpose in his work.

Jackson thinks more community members could take advantage of the opportunities these programs offer. Many people are unaware that they exist or question if their intentions are pure, she says. 

“It’s the culture,” Jackson says. “You have to build trust and a relationship with the individuals first.”

That’s exactly what Ruthie’s has been doing with the food truck and their move into their new home on MLK Jr. Boulevard. 

“Rehabilitation … really is possible if they are willing to take the chance, take the risk and believe in someone,” Jackson says.

This article is a part of a Solutions Journalism Network grant-funded collaboration between Dallas Doing Good, Dallas Free Press and Southern Methodist University journalism students enrolled in summer and fall 2024 feature-writing classes. Their collective goal was to capture the efforts of South Dallas residents and businesses to preserve and revitalize Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Dallas, Texas. Read more stories from the Revitalizing MLK Jr. Boulevard series.