A job loss can cause a lot of different emotions. But it can also bring about change in a way you might not have thought possible. Not only for yourself, but for others.

For one neighborhood in Washington, D.C., not only did it get a sweet treat after a rough time with the pandemic, but a small-business owner got a new lease on life, as well.

Everyday Sundae became a beacon of kindness for its owner, Charles Foreman, as well as those that walk through its doors.

Foreman said that he always knows when someone needs something but can’t afford it. So then he gives them an ice cream cone for free.

“You know when they come in, you can see it,” Foreman told Today. “It was naturally in me to (notice) some of the kids have it and some of the kids don’t have it. So I’m gonna sponsor them.”

Charles Foreman, right, is the owner of Everyday Sundae. Photo by Getty

He said that his neighborhood had been growing with new residents, as well as retaining all the older ones. He wanted to use his place to show them all that they were welcome there.

“I’ve been living in this neighborhood for 20 years,” Foreman said.

I just wanted to be a part of that change and show the kids that look like me and look like my son that it’s still a neighborhood for everybody.”

A chef for more than 20 years, the pandemic caused him to rethink his career plan, as it did for many people.

“Long story short, during COVID, I lost my career,” he said. “So I was thinking to myself, what can I do that I really want to do next? And a friend of mine said, ‘What would you do if you weren’t afraid?’”

His answer: an ice cream shop. Opening in 2021, he chose the Petworth neighborhood. With its rising crime rate, he said he wanted to cheer up the area.

“You know, they say that an ice cream shop in your neighborhood is an indication that the neighborhood is turning around, and that things are getting better,” Foreman said. “Anybody that knows this area knows Kennedy Street is not the most cordial area, it can get dicey out there, let’s put it that way. So that was it. I just wanted to be right dead center in my community and do something that was positive.”

Charles Foreman serves up an ice cream cone at Everyday Sundae. Photo by Getty

His shop became a spot for a local mom’s group to meet. One of the mothers, Nicole Harkin, spotted Foreman giving free cones to children who couldn’t pay. Charmed, she donated $100 to Foreman to help pay for cones. 

Foreman, touched by the generosity, posted about Harkin on social media. This touched off a frenzy of people donating extra money to pay for ice cream for others.

“You know, giving stuff away when you’re a small business owner isn’t great business practice,” Harkin told Today, laughing. “But I could see him trying to do a bigger thing to improve the neighborhood.”

It was just really nice to see him give those ice cream cones away and really make a tangible difference in his neighborhood.”

Foreman said that all he does is to make his community better.  “The thing is, everybody loves ice cream and you can’t be mad and order ice cream, right? How can you be upset and be like, ‘Yeah, give me a scoop of chocolate,’ right? It’s impossible,” he said. 

“Everyone walks away with a smile,” Foreman said. “If you can’t afford it, and I give you one for free, your smile’s even bigger, you know what I mean? That’s all it is.”

Sources: The Today Show