CARY, N.C. — A new ice cream store in Cary recently opened, giving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities the chance to work.

What You Need To Know

  • Howdy's Homemade Ice Cream opened this month in Cary

  • The nonprofit employs people with intellectual and developmental disabilities

  • There is currently a waiting list of people hoping to work at the ice cream store

The employees, or "heroes" as they are called at Howdy's, do everything from prepping the store to open each day to scooping out the ice cream.

"It has been amazing to watch all of these heroes working, and they can do this. They just need a little guidance," said Cherie Whitley, a parent whose son works at Howdy's Homemade Ice Cream.

Howdy's already has a wait list of people who want to be employed there. 

The N.C. Council on Developmental Disabilities says there are 4,300 job-ready adults with disabilities searching for employment in North Carolina.