About the Foundation

Before founding Happy Joe’s Pizza & Ice Cream Parlors, Happy Joe Whitty worked as a manager at another pizza restaurant. He enjoyed the work, but his entrepreneurial spirit was already stirring. He was constantly sharing new ideas with his boss, who admired Joe’s enthusiasm but preferred he focus on simply running the store.

One day, while managing that restaurant, Joe experienced something that would shape the course of his life and legacy. A mother came in hesitantly and asked if she and her young son, who had disabilities, would be allowed to dine there. Joe was stunned that she even had to ask — this was a public restaurant, open to all. The woman explained that in other places, she and her child had not been welcomed. Her son loved pizza, but because of his challenges, their family often felt out of place.

Joe graciously welcomed them in. He gave them a special table, personally checked on them, and even invited the boy back into the kitchen to watch pizzas being made. The visit turned into a memorable experience, and Joe struck up a friendship with the family. It also left him thinking: How many other families were staying home, feeling unwelcome because of their child’s needs?

That question sparked action. Joe decided to host a holiday party at the restaurant, inviting children with disabilities and their families for a complimentary meal in a truly welcoming environment. The event was a success — full of joy, laughter, and relief for parents who felt, perhaps for the first time, fully embraced. Joe knew then that when he opened his own restaurant one day, it would always be a place where everyone belonged.