Inspired by a dream, husband-and-wife duo Mickey Perkins and Roger Smith have employed neurodivergent adults for countless hours through the nonprofit they co-founded, Schoolyard Dogs.

Husband and wife duo Mickey Perkins and Roger Smith co-founded local nonprofit Schoolyard Dogs, a food truck that employs neurodivergent adults who may otherwise not have opportunities to enter the workforce. Through their nonprofit they run two programs – Schoolyard Dogs, and Schoolyard Services – both of which aim to serve as job training, employment and experience for neurodivergent adults who are offered minimal resources to thrive in adulthood. For the past four years they have shown up to community events, including Wimberley’s Trail of Lights festival where they run concessions year after year working five nights a week to raise money for the nonprofit. The pair also partner with Wimberley Independent School District (WISD) to support Schoolyard Farms, a program that teaches 18-22-year-old neurodivergent adults various life skills including raising crops and quail, as well as selling eggs, produce, and other food items.

Mickey and Roger’s own two sons, Rufus and Jasper, were both diagnosed with autism at an early age. They saw firsthand the challenges that neurodivergent adults and their families face after high school, as they quickly learned that there are very few resources for disabled adults, especially in job training and employment. The idea for Schoolyard Dogs came to Mickey one night as she dreamed that she and her family were selling hot dogs out of a school bus. “It literally came to her in a dream,” says Roger. “She saw us selling hot dogs from a small Special Education school bus, no doubt inspired by our son Jasper’s love of hot dogs. Since that dream, she found and purchased the bus, raised the money to have it converted into a food truck, then launched the business on Independence Day – a day that symbolizes the Schoolyard Dogs mission.” Mickey and Roger both knew from the start that the project would blossom into something extraordinary, just like their motto says: “Schoolyard Dogs, where every order is a special order!”

As they get their business officially up and running as a 501(c)3 after years of serving hot dogs and selling their produce, Mickey and Roger hope to employ more neurodivergent adults and expand the program even further. Their next goal being to raise money to purchase or lease a building that can house their kitchen and community center, which would serve as a place for neurodivergent adults in the Wimberley Valley to gather and spend their day engaging in meaningful activities, socialize with their peers, and learn valuable life skills. They do all of this out of a love for their community and a passion for helping neurodivergent adults, like their own two sons, transition into adulthood. In addition to volunteering their time to this nonprofit, they have both been beloved teachers in their communities. Mickey was a history teacher for over 20 years in Anaheim California and Roger is currently a fourth-grade teacher and coach for WISD. Mickey has since retired to focus on the mission at Schoolyard Dogs. “We are also proud of the support we are receiving from our small town,” says Mickey. “Not just because of our mission and our awesome employees, but also because we make darn good food!”