The Golden Scoop: Another look into the shop with a mission

The Golden Scoop, a nonprofit ice cream shop in Overland Park, is beginning their application process for volunteers as they prepare to open. The Golden Scoop is an ice cream shop employed by individuals with disabilities, Super Scoopers, to help them gain experience in the working world. 

The shop is looking for applicants who will build a relationship with the Super Scoopers and help them during their shifts. Whether that be scooping ice cream, greeting customers or working the register, the Golden Scoop is looking for people who are ready to help. 

“The friendships that the volunteers will build with the Super Scoopers will make a huge impact on the community and our main goal to showcase to the community just how talented these individuals are,” Golden Scoop cofounder Lindsay Krumbholz said. “I think that our volunteers will play a huge role in keeping them successful.”

The Super Scoopers will begin training in March to prepare for the opening of the store in April. Krumbholz hopes to have a few soft openings during the training period to prep the employees for the grand opening. 

A few of the Super Scoopers already have job coaches, but there is still plenty of need for volunteers throughout the store. 

“We’ve had a lot of different organizations and individuals reach out in the community about volunteering,” Krumbholz said. “We’re beyond excited in the interest of people wanting to volunteer at the Golden Scoop and wanting to build those relationships with our Super Scoopers to see the talents they can bring to the table.” 

SHARE parent and volunteer Sheryl Kaplan has been in touch with the shop to try and set up times that volunteers from East can go in and help with whatever is needed. 

“I love that the shop is giving job opportunities skills to our special needs population,” Kaplan said. “I know that there are several kids who went through the [special ed] program at Shawnee Mission East that are planning to work there.” 

Kaplan is hoping to have volunteers work alongside the scoopers to help them with social aspects such as working with the customers. They will work side-by-side to coach them and to model appropriate skills for them. 

The Unified Teams and Packs of Pals programs through SHARE enlist the help of many East students, and therefore are expecting a large number of students to want to get involved with The Golden Scoop. 

Sophomore Lily Haw sees the Golden Scoop as an amazing organization with a great idea behind it. She plans on volunteering there and helping in any way possible to make sure that the Super Scoopers are as successful as they can be. 

“I think that being a part of the Golden Scoop could be an amazing opportunity to help the special needs members of our community prosper and I am so excited for the store to open,” Haw said. 

The Super Scoopers are also very excited for the store to open. Krumbholz and her cofounders get emails or phone calls from them every week asking how close they are to the opening. Her favorite was a text messages from someone asking, “Can I work on my birthday?” Krumbholz immediately sent a text to her cofounders saying, “How many business get text messages from employees asking to work on their birthday?” 

The Golden Scoop has already had various corporations reach out to do ice cream happy hours and other events. When a family member of one of the Super Scoopers reached out and asked if they did weddings, and Krumbholz and the team jumped on the opportunity. Like a happy hour, these events provide more promotion for the shop and more jobs for the Super Scoopers as well as a better opportunity to hire more individuals with disabilities. 

“The goal of the Golden Scoop has been to pay our Super Scoopers from above minimum wage from day one and provide them with the proper training to keep them successful,” Krumbolz said. 

The support from the Kansas City community has been making these goals achievable. The Golden Scoop has received several individual donations along with grants from local foundations. Habitat for Humanity has also donated furniture to the store as well. Krumbholz is confident that having the right volunteer applicants will help the shop get off to a good start. 

Visit https://thegoldenscoop.org/ to fill out a volunteer application form or make a donation to help foster an environment where the Super Scoopers will be mentored, inspired and equipped to succeed in their jobs and their lives.