A new fast-food restaurant has opened in Indiana. But Malta Burgers does more than just serve burgers and fries. It's giving homeless people a second chance.
From the outside it may just look like another burger joint trying to make it in Huntington. But inside there is much more. It's a brotherhood of men getting a second chance.
"I don't feel like I have a job anymore. I feel like I have a mission," said Kellie Herber, the executive director of Malta House.
Surprisingly enough, there's only one paid employee here. The rest of the men are homeless.
"It's definitely a life-changing experience for me," said Charles Smith, who lives at Malta House.
The new restaurant is a ministry of the Malta House, a not-for-profit men's shelter in Huntington. Everything made from the burgers goes back into the organization's mission. It gets no government funding.
"Our most important goal is that we train all of our guys," said Herber. They go in and learn restaurant management, fast-food management and all those skills. So that they can use those skills when they leave."
"You know the Lord. It's all about Him now. He gets all the glory," said Smith. "He keeps me doing what I do and I know every part of it."
Most of the men are educated and even have degrees. But many of them have struggled with addictions and are looking for a new life. "Most of the guys in there have extensive restaurant experience," said Herber.
Folks with Malta Burgers say it's already bridging the gap between the homeless and those more fortunate in the community, bringing joy to both sides. "I mean, had a house, I had a car, I had all that stuff but I wasn't happy," said Smith. "I would rather be at the Malta House with absolutely nothing and be happy then not happy and have the other thing."
