BROUSSARD, La. — The D.R.E.A.M.S. Shade Tree Café is coming to Broussard with a mission that goes far beyond food. The café will offer job training and employment opportunities for individuals with special needs, creating a welcoming space built on inclusion, independence and community.
The café will be located at the future home of the D.R.E.A.M.S. Foundation of Acadiana, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering individuals with disabilities through employment and life skills training.
“We have three special needs kids with a manager that will be working on this side,” Donielle Watkins, co-director of the D.R.E.A.M.S. Foundation of Acadiana, said to KATC as she walked through the building’s layout. “And when you come through this door, this is where the magic will happen for the café.”
For Watkins, the project represents years of planning and hope.
“We knew this was going to be our home one day,” she said.
Beyond its day-to-day café operations, the Shade Tree Café also plans to host weddings and special events. Those events will create even more employment opportunities for individuals involved with the foundation.
The organization already runs a meat pie-making company that employs more than 20 individuals with special needs. Cameron, an employee with D.R.E.A.M.S., said the café’s opening means opportunity and confidence.
“Not a lot of people will hire us,” he said. “I never thought I would have a job one day. Having a job means more opportunity, and it feels endless.”
The café is just the beginning of a larger vision for the property. Sitting on two acres of land, the foundation plans to eventually build housing units and a dedicated job training center on-site.
“I think everybody wants a place to belong,” Watkins said. “This is going to be that place. Whether it’s special-needs individuals, their parents, or anyone who loves being around others. It will be a safe place for everyone and a great place for the community.”
The Dream’s Shade Tree Café is expected to open in February 2026.
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