TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — In 2022, KGUN 9 introduced viewers to a new food truck with a simple menu and a bigger mission: giving people with special needs a place to work. The company had 16 employees back then.
Three years later, that number has grown to nearly 50.
Special Eats was co-founded by William Harman and Tamara Varga after each of their respective kids — who have autism — struggled to find consistent jobs.
"He really wanted a job, and we couldn't find them," Varga said. "So that's when we decided we needed to take matters into our own hands, because we knew we weren't the only parents out there dealing with this."
Varga said the idea for the business came together with her co-founder, who brought years of food industry experience to the table, so the menu would be simple enough for the team to run day to day.
"We knew there was a need," Varga said, "but we didn't know that there was this big of a need."
The trucks serve up all kinds of comfort food — from burgers to grilled cheese to milkshakes and everything in between.
Among the team now is head chef Greg Mandros, known around the truck as "Grill Master Greg." He's worked at Special Eats for two years after his caseworker told him about the program.
"All my life, I thought I couldn't do a lot," Mandros said. "But my mom and dad pushed me to do things in life, to work. And what I love about this program, I'm learning and getting a resume so I could be out in the real world like everyone else."
Mandros said the job has given him more than a paycheck.
"It's preparing me to work at an actual restaurant, to be out in the real world and make more money," he said. "I enjoy working with all my coworkers. They're like my second family."
Employee Josiah Pocase splits his time between both of the company's trucks, cooking and running the register depending on where he's needed. He was diagnosed with ADHD and autism at age five, and said finding steady work after turning 18 was nearly impossible.
"Had two jobs," Pocase said. "They basically said no."
He said the environment at Special Eats is different.
"We get to see new faces, new places," Pocase said. "And being able to work on the truck with everybody, we always try to keep it fun."
Pocase said the skills he's picked up — from handling food to working the register — are ones he expects to carry with him well beyond Special Eats.
"The little stuff that they learn, detail-wise, can go big," he said. "Make a big difference when they go off to do another career."
Varga said watching her team come to work every day is what makes the growth worth it.
"They show up to work every day," she said. "They have a positive attitude. They want to learn. They're grateful."
That growth isn't slowing down. Special Eats is planning to roll out a pizza truck and open a brick-and-mortar barbecue restaurant in the coming months, adding even more jobs to a team that started with just 16 people three years ago.
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Kenny Darr is a reporter for KGUN 9. He joined the team in January 2023. Before arriving in Arizona he was an Anchor and Reporter at KADN in Lafayette, LA. Share your story ideas with Kenny by emailing kenny.darr@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
