Faith, Food Trucks, & Inclusivity: The Story of the DREAMS Foundation of Acadiana with Donielle Watkins

In this episode, Donielle Watkins shares the inspiring story behind the creation of the DREAMS Foundation of Acadiana and its mission to provide inclusive opportunities for people with disabilities in the Acadiana area. From sports, art, and theater to galas, camps, and more, Donielle highlights the diverse activities that foster connection and empowerment. 

She also talks about the foundation's innovative meat pie manufacturing food truck, which employs individuals with disabilities, the exciting future of the organization, and how her faith serves as the driving force behind it all. 

Tune in for a conversation full of hope, vision, and community impact.

Transcript

Mary Baudoin (00:09):

Thank you everyone for joining us for this episode of This Ability podcast. I'm your host, Mary Baudoin, and joining us today is Donielle Watkins, the executive director of the DREAMS Foundation of Acadiana.

(00:19):

Donielle, thank you for joining us today.

Donielle Watkins (00:22):

Excited to be here.

Mary Baudoin (00:23):

Great. So tell us just a little bit about yourself, where you're from, where do you live, your education?

Donielle Watkins (00:28):

So I am from Lafayette, Louisiana. I was actually born in Breaux Bridge, but shortly after we moved to Lafayette, I went through Catholic school and ended at Comeaux High School. Went to UL for five years and became a CPA, and we were going to leave and get out of here and go to Dallas. And then God had different plans.

Mary Baudoin (00:45):

Well, I'm glad he did because I'm glad you're here in Lafayette with us. And you are married. You have a few children, right?

Donielle Watkins (00:51):

Yep. I married Brian. We met in college and we have three kids. One is not the traditional. I adopted her. Well, pretty much raised her since she was five, and the other two are Logan and Lucas.

Mary Baudoin (01:03):

So tell us about... Well, I guess this is going to be a combination answer because I was going to ask you about your conception of the DREAMS Foundation, and I think that Logan plays a big part in that. So tell us about his story.

Donielle Watkins (01:16):

Right. DREAMS was not even in the horizon, a twinkle in her eye, absolutely nothing was. It was we were blessed with a child with special needs and we accepted a lot of things and Logan decided that he was tired of accepting and he wanted to change things. And boy, did he change things.

Mary Baudoin (01:32):

Yeah, I think I remember you telling me the story initially that he wanted to play softball or baseball or something and he couldn't find a sports area to do that?

Donielle Watkins (01:41):

Yeah, well, we were actually sitting at one of Monique's games and he said, "When am I going to play?" And me and Brian stopped us in our tracks. We were like, "Oh, we're not sure, dude. We'll have to look into that." And so Brian did some research on the internet, which at that time was very rudimentary, but he did find a league up north called the Challenger League. And so we came to the Lafayette Little League and asked them if they could start. The only question they had was, "Is there enough kids?" and I was like, "There's at least 50 in town that want to play."

Mary Baudoin (02:07):

Oh yeah, definitely. Tell our audience, because I know Logan, but tell us what he has, what he was diagnosed with.

Donielle Watkins (02:14):

So Logan, when he was born, had spina bifida, which is where the back does not close properly.

Mary Baudoin (02:19):

And he uses a wheelchair?

Donielle Watkins (02:21):

He uses a wheelchair. When he was little, we tried to get him to walk with a walker and he basically said, "I'll not do it" and basically decided that that was not something that was in his purview and we had to accept that him having to think about every step that he took was not something that he wanted to do. And so we had to accept that.

Mary Baudoin (02:39):

I understand. Now cognitively, what is his ability like?

Donielle Watkins (02:42):

He's got lots of street smarts and not as much book smarts.

Mary Baudoin (02:46):

All right, Logan, my man. That's good. So if we're on the streets, he's the guy to have.

Donielle Watkins (02:51):

Oh, especially if there are women around.

Mary Baudoin (02:53):

Oh, that's really funny. I know that the DREAMS Foundation, you started at what year?

Donielle Watkins (02:58):

2007.

Mary Baudoin (03:00):

2007. It's been in existence for a while now. I know you're very proud of how much it's grown.

Donielle Watkins (03:05):

Yeah.

Mary Baudoin (03:06):

And you have programs, like you have the arts program, bowling, softball. You guys do a lot. Tell me about those programs and who do they cater to.

Donielle Watkins (03:15):

So the programs kind of just came about as people wanted to do them. So the first one, obviously softball or baseball. And after the first game, Logan wanted to know when basketball was starting. Little did we know then he just wanted somewhere that he could be on a stage where people would see him. So then we found theater. So he created a theater program also. Although he was in regular CYT, he wanted a stage where he could be with his other friends that are-

Mary Baudoin (03:39):

And CYT is a Christian Youth Theater?

Donielle Watkins (03:42):

Christian Youth Theater. So now we have a Christian Youth Theater DREAMS Edition. And if you want to see comedy, see.

Mary Baudoin (03:48):

It did take Lexi... Speedy and I went to The Wizard of Oz production. I was mentioning that to you the other day and it was hilarious. Especially when the improv. It's never the same. Never. It's so awesome to see. And it's definitely a feel-good kind of show too. It's just when you see this gathering of people with special needs doing things that actors would do, and they do it with a lot of heart, with a lot of passion and a lot of sense of humor too. It's great. I love it.

Donielle Watkins (04:20):

Oh yeah, their favorite part, which is crazy, is costume changes. The more costume changes, the more they get excited. I don't even understand, but we had to make a dressing room for them.

Mary Baudoin (04:30):

Ah, I think that's awesome.

Donielle Watkins (04:32):

It just proves that they want to be like everyone else. They don't want to get treated special, they want to be treated like everyone else. And even when it's that they get in trouble, it's almost like they're standing up straight like, "Man, they're noticing me and I need to correct this and make it better." So that means that I realize that they can do better and so they will do better because we expect it.

Mary Baudoin (04:53):

One program that just wrapped up last week or the week before is Camp Unique. So tell our audience more about Camp Unique.

Donielle Watkins (05:00):

So Camp Unique is a week that me and my husband take off of work and a lot of the moms and dads come in and we throw the biggest camp party that you can think of. This past week was Western Week, and we had bad dad jokes, we had horses, we had music, we had water balloons, dunk tank. I mean everything you can think of that is just fun to just have a lot of fun and be yourself.

(05:27):

We had been having camp and the kids are getting older, and so some of them were like, "Well, I don't want to go to camp. I'm too old." I'm like, "Let me tell you something. There is some camps up north. And if I could go, if I can afford them, I would be there. Adults don't go to camp because they don't want to. They does go to camp because there's not really any around and it's not affordable."

Mary Baudoin (05:43):

Exactly.

Donielle Watkins (05:43):

But adults would go to camp if they could, I promise. So once they wrap their head around that and they're like, "So adults would do this?"

(05:50):

"Yes." And I said, "You have the luxury of having it." And so now a hundred plus kids come every year.

Mary Baudoin (05:55):

Right. And every day a different type of... You have a lot of different activities. What are some of the highlights of the activities that y'all have at Camp Unique?

Donielle Watkins (06:03):

So this past one was Western, so we actually had some horses that came that were therapeutic horses and they got to paint the horses. So I was like, "You're actually want them to paint on it? She said, "Watch." And you would see the kids walk up and they would see the horse and they were like, "I don't know if I want to touch that horse." And she'd say, "But what about touching it with paint?" And their whole facial expression would be like, "Wait. What?" And so they would kind of forget that there was a horse there and they dipped their hand in it and before you knew it, they were painting the horse all over the place, forgetting that they were touching a horse.

(06:31):

It was just one of those crazy things that I would've never thought to do. But this lady was... She's from New York and she's just very outgoing and those kids just love being around her. And when she left, she said, "It was for the best four hours of my year."

Mary Baudoin (06:43):

That's awesome.

Donielle Watkins (06:44):

She's retired and she came just to do this for us. And one of the other things we had was TMM Music, which is a new group that comes in and they interactive with the kids. So they had this 30 plus year old guy break dancing.

Mary Baudoin (06:56):

I would love to see that.

Donielle Watkins (06:58):

And it was crazy. And the kids are like eyes wide. And then he brought them up and showed them some of the moves until about 20 of them got up there and they were just beaming, watching them.

Mary Baudoin (07:08):

I bet. And I think break dancing is making a comeback. Dancing was a thing back then, and then it definitely left. But now I think it's back again.

Donielle Watkins (07:16):

Mullet's back, you never know.

Mary Baudoin (07:18):

That's strange. Some things should be left in the past.

Donielle Watkins (07:21):

I agree.

Mary Baudoin (07:23):

Tell me about the Night of DREAMS Gala. You guys had that event that, I don't remember the annual number, but it's been going on a few years. And I think each year it just grows. Tell us about that.

Donielle Watkins (07:35):

Exactly. So it started with the Tim Tebow prom. One of the things that a lot of the parents were saying, and even the kids are like, "We're going to prom again?" Which is true. I mean, you're in high school, you go to prom twice. Maybe three times if you get asked by an older kid, but you're not going to prom the rest of your life. So that's when we realized that we wanted it to be more like a gala, more like a Mardi Gras type thing. So we changed it to that and we did our own thing and it has just exploded. We have 300 plus kids that come every year, 150 to 200 volunteers, plus all the parents are invited. So we have a thousand people that were packing into the Blackham Coliseum.

Mary Baudoin (08:07):

Right. And it just looks like an incredible living. Everybody gets to dress up and just have a good time.

Donielle Watkins (08:13):

Yeah, they're treated like royalty. They get announced when they get on the red carpet. And if they didn't bring a date, they get to select their date for the night, which is the cutest thing to watch. "Oh, yeah. I want you."

Mary Baudoin (08:22):

I bet.

Donielle Watkins (08:23):

And then that person who gets selected just feels so special.

Mary Baudoin (08:26):

And everyone gets selected, right? You don't leave any behind?

Donielle Watkins (08:29):

Well, the volunteers, if they don't get selected, they just go dance with us.

Mary Baudoin (08:33):

Yeah, you know?

Donielle Watkins (08:34):

So that it's truly inclusive. Oh, everybody has a blast.

Mary Baudoin (08:36):

No hurt feelings. Yeah. Yeah.

Donielle Watkins (08:38):

No. I saw a volunteer yesterday and she's like, "I did not leave the dance floor." And he knew every single person there. I get introduced to some people I couldn't even keep track.

Mary Baudoin (08:45):

You're just doing some incredible things in the community, Donielle. Speaking of, and I didn't know how much this was in your initial plans with DREAMS, but you've branched off into the DREAMS manufacturing and meat pie production. And now you've got a food trucks. Tell us all about that.

Donielle Watkins (09:01):

Yeah, if you'd have told me that when I got out of college I would have a manufacturing company and a food truck, I would tell you were crazy. With meat pies, no less. But yeah, we... Probably five years ago I was at a board meeting and I told my board members, I said, "The kids are getting older and they want to have jobs, so we need to get Lafayette on board." And so one of my board members came up to me after and said, "I think I have something for you" and I'm like, "What is that?" He's like, "Well, y'all can make some meat pies." He must have been like... I know my face was like, "What are you talking about?"

(09:33):

We went. He said, "Let's go look." So we went and watched the... It was basically a similar line and I was like, "Okay, well maybe we could do this." Although it was a long process, which I didn't think would ever end of USDA, God got us through it and it happened. And then two years later after Covid, applied for a grant, said, "I'm going to get a food truck if we get it." Got the grant. I was like, "Oh my goodness, I have to buy a food truck."

(09:54):

From the date I found out I got the grant, we opened two months later. Everything was done. It was all inspiring and crazy how fast donation coming in right at the right moment when I needed to do the rap. Food truck standing in my lap with a friend of mine who wanting to sell hers. I mean, it was just-

Mary Baudoin (10:09):

Everything fell into place.

Donielle Watkins (10:10):

... divine intervention. It was crazy. It has hit the roads. I mean there are slow times, but for the most part it's doing really well.

Mary Baudoin (10:17):

Yeah. And you guys have a lot of variety. Tell me about the different types of meat pies you sell.

Donielle Watkins (10:23):

Right, so we have 12 different types of beef and pork, which are in most local stores, [inaudible 00:10:28] and all the other local stores. But then when we opened the food truck, we were going to do just late lunches. And so our logo is, "You dream it, we stuff it." So I said, "Brandon, I said, what if we took... That's who the chef. I said, "What if we took all the stuff that we were going to put in those containers and we shove it in the pie?" He's like, "We could definitely do that." So then came the pool pork and the pepperoni and the chicken alfredo, which is probably one of the most unique ones we have. And then spinach and artichoke and-

Mary Baudoin (10:56):

Oh, nice.

Donielle Watkins (10:57):

... taco. I can't even think of them all right now. Food and cheese.

Mary Baudoin (11:03):

And you guys have branched off into sweets too, right? I see apple.

Donielle Watkins (11:04):

Yeah, we have apple and we have cookie dough.

Mary Baudoin (11:06):

Oh my God. Cookie dough. Jesus.

Donielle Watkins (11:08):

Oh, it is so good.

Mary Baudoin (11:10):

I bet it is.

Donielle Watkins (11:11):

Oh, yeah.

Mary Baudoin (11:11):

I need to get some of that.

Donielle Watkins (11:12):

They're all good. And every time somebody says, "Why don't you do this?" we try it, you know?

Mary Baudoin (11:17):

Right.

Donielle Watkins (11:17):

I mean, our dream is to have a cafe where we'd be the subway of meat pies and you walk in and you tell the person what you want in it, put it in the oven and you have your homemade pie.

Mary Baudoin (11:28):

I love the meat pies too. I usually get them from the frozen section in the store because it's so easy for me. I am a non-cook, okay? And it's just that's been in my blood. Even I can't use Lexi as an excuse like, "Oh, I have a special needs child. I don't have time to cook." No, not really. I don't like to cook. So for me, just throwing these things in the oven and then just a few minutes later they're ready and they're so tasty and good. Love the meat pies.

(11:54):

You mentioned about DREAMS and the different ways that you guys raise money, but how are you primarily funded? Is it through grants or just private donations, sponsorships, things like that?

Donielle Watkins (12:04):

It's mostly private donations in our fundraisers, but mostly private donations. We have a lot of people that really believe in what we're doing and we can't do it without them, to be really honest.

Mary Baudoin (12:14):

Right. If someone is listening and they live in Acadiana area or another state and they just want to come down and help you with an event, how does someone go about volunteering to help with the DREAMS Foundation of Acadiana?

Donielle Watkins (12:25):

We love volunteers. Volunteers can go to our website, www.dreamsfoundationaca.org. And underneath volunteers, there's a form you fill out and then you'll get a response saying, "Thank you for joining." And then as things come up, you'll get emails. The gala, you always get an email. And then you always get an email for camp. But then there's also other times that we need volunteers.

Mary Baudoin (12:46):

Right. Just throughout the year for different events.

Donielle Watkins (12:48):

Right. Right.

Mary Baudoin (12:48):

Definitely. Throughout the interview, and I've known you for many years, I know that faith is very important to you, and you've mentioned it throughout the interview. How important is faith to you and your family?

Donielle Watkins (12:58):

It's extremely important because when I'm going down a path, my hardest thing to figure out when we're thinking about DREAMS is, when do I push for something or when is it not God's will yet and we need to push back and let him open the path? The factory was a big one. We kept running into these what I would call brick walls and they would vanish the next day. And so I'd say, "Okay, if you want me to go, I can't fix this." And the next day it would absorb and I'd be like, "Okay, I'm continuing." So it is definitely a big part of what DREAMS is. I know we wouldn't be where we were if God wasn't moving mountains. In fact, for camp there's always a big chance of rain. And our big group, all the moms, "What are we going to do for rain?" And my answer is always the same. "That's not our department. God's got it."

Mary Baudoin (13:41):

Yeah, good answer.

Donielle Watkins (13:42):

And they laugh and they're like, "Okay. Are we bringing ponchos or umbrellas?" I said, "I don't care. He's going to take care of it." And every day it would be cloudy, which means it wasn't hot. So it was perfect. And there would be this 85, 95% chance of rain. We would go in there and we do three praise and worship songs at the band of camp. The last one is rain. The roof would come off because the kids absolutely love it. It gives me chills every time I hear it. And it would not rain till 12:00.

Mary Baudoin (14:03):

See, you guys were doing a sunshine dance.

Donielle Watkins (14:05):

I'm telling you. And every time I would say, "Did you just see that? The rain went away." And they'd all laugh. I mean we'd get drizzling, but it was no-

Mary Baudoin (14:12):

Yeah, it's okay.

Donielle Watkins (14:12):

... no thunderstorms like that.

Mary Baudoin (14:14):

[inaudible 00:14:14].

Donielle Watkins (14:14):

Especially the day that the horses came. Horses can't be there. No rain, not a drop.

Mary Baudoin (14:18):

Wonderful. And it's been raining y'all like every day here, so that's been crazy. But that was definitely some intervention there.

Donielle Watkins (14:24):

Oh, absolutely.

Mary Baudoin (14:24):

That's out of your control.

Donielle Watkins (14:26):

No doubt.

Mary Baudoin (14:26):

What is in the future for the DREAMS Foundation?

Donielle Watkins (14:29):

The DREAMS Foundation right now is really pushing toward job training. We have so many individuals that are graduating high school, 18, because... You can go all the way to 22 if you like, but at 22, it's like a lead balloon dropping. There is not much opportunities out there right now. 90% of it to me is that there's no education to the businesses in town that our kids are probably a more positive asset than any employee that you can hire.

Mary Baudoin (14:55):

And speaking to other parents that have older special needs children, they're loyal to their employer, they're also eager to get to work every day. They look forward to putting on that uniform and going to work. You'll never find a more loyal employee, I think.

Donielle Watkins (15:08):

And besides that, they'll do the jobs that nobody else wants to do for a fraction of the cost. So that's a big thing that we're working on. And we'd like to start to open up a place for job training, doing some outsourcing. And when we do the outsourcing, them learning how to wash dishes, do the laundry and even copies or shredding and then sending it back out to the employers and then possibly them getting hired by maybe other employers or anywhere in town that will give them a chance.

Mary Baudoin (15:33):

Yeah, absolutely. And for those of you listening, if you're not familiar with The DREAMS Foundation aside from the website that she mentioned, they have a good following on Facebook. So you'll want to check out their page because you guys usually post at least once a day, several times a week of the activities that you have going on. There's always something going on with the DREAMS Foundation, so be sure to look them up on Facebook because it's just incredible organization to be involved with.

(15:56):

Donielle, are there any other topics that you want to talk about that we did not discover?

Donielle Watkins (16:00):

The only thing that we do want to do in the future, which is a good ways off but we're hoping that it will start with our job training center, to have a community where the kids can live once the parents aren't around anymore. The Unity Village community, the dream has been there for a while. It's just, it's a big undertaking and we don't want to do it until it's God's plan, until He's ready for it. And the parents are more than ready for it. I probably get asked at least once to twice every six months when it's going to happen. And I used to get really nervous and agitated when people asked because a lot of the people who are asking aren't helping. The answer is now, "It's God's plan." You can see a lot of people run fast when you say that.

Mary Baudoin (16:36):

Either run towards you or away from.

Donielle Watkins (16:38):

They don't know how to respond to that.

Mary Baudoin (16:40):

Love it.

Donielle Watkins (16:40):

But I truly believe it and it's given me peace because it is the truth. It will happen. I just don't know when.

Mary Baudoin (16:45):

Well, Donielle, thank you so much for being here today. This was an interview that was great and just kind of flew by. Thank you so much for talking about your family and DREAMS and everything else you guys do. I don't know how you do at all, but...

Donielle Watkins (16:57):

Thank you very much.

Mary Baudoin (16:57):

Definitely. All right, everyone, that's going to wrap up this episode of This Ability podcast. If you enjoy listening to our podcast, be sure to like our Facebook page and subscribe to our YouTube channel for video podcast at This Ability podcast for updates and new episode postings. Goodbye everyone, and thank you for listening.