College Student Launches Food Truck, Theresa's Twists, to Hire Others With Autism

Theresa Daniels is starting a business with a twist. Daniels, a college junior on the autism spectrum, is launching a food truck that will be staffed primarily by people with autism.

With assistance from her parents, the company, Theresa’s Twists, will be making hot pretzels and candied pretzels. These “pretzels with a purpose” will then be sold by employees in Daniel’s home state of Tennessee.

“Our goal is to start with our food truck and some day a brick and mortar shop,” Daniels writes on the company’s website.

“Young adults with autism and Asperger’s often fall through the cracks once they leave high school and college,” Daniel’s says in the Company’s Kickstarter video. “We want to help change that.”

According to the Autism Society, 35 percent of young adults with autism struggle to find employment or postgraduate training after leaving high school.

Theresa’s Twists will provide people with autism with employment experience as well as mentors to help them master business and social interactions.

“We want to demonstrate that persons with Asperger’s are very dedicated, qualified and employable persons,” the website says. “Our vision is to provide a proactive environment for individuals with Asperger’s syndrome a safe place of employment; to use the workplace for socialization training; to give employees a place of employment that fosters relationships; to empower employees.”

According to News Channel 5 Network, the company is launching using family funds and a entrepreneurship award of $12,500 from LaunchTN. Daniels and her family are also running a Kickstarter campaign with the hopes of raising an additional $20,000.