By Alex Jack

Despite Houston leading the nation with the least amount of homeless people we still see about 4,000 that are without permanent shelter on any given night based on a SEARCH homeless services report. Even though we have crossed the over into the new year, the giving season lasts all year long. There is always a reason to help and give back to the lives of others.

Contributing to the giving in our city is Brand Appetit. Brand Appetit is a community engagement agency. They connect business to the community. They work with companies that "understand the importance of giving back." Brand Appetit is run by owner Misti Baurd. Many of you all know her as Food Network show, The Great Food Truck Race: Alaska winner. With over 15 years of successful marketing experience, she can create meaningful community-focused events. In the state of the world today, businesses are looking for ways to connect with the community, and Brand Appetit is the place to go.

At the very end of 2021, Brand Appetit brought together food, business, and love during a Blessing Bag giveaway sponsored by The Cox Pradia Law Firm. The Cox Pradia Law Firm is a personal injury law firm run by Jonathan H. Cox and Troy Pradia. They are very familiar with helping people that come from the same communities they are from and also giving service to those that has had their lives interrupted by circumstances. Most people that are homeless are not homeless by choice. They are homeless by circumstance. The blessing bags brought a different element to this community outreach mission because it was some- thing that the homeless can make use of in the long term.

Along with the blessing bags, this community event could not be completed without a hot beautiful meal. Brand Appetite also brought to the mix, The Brunch Bus Food Truck! Owner, Ryan Robinson, put together a beautiful breakfast plate with sausage, bacon, waffles, grits, and eggs. The brunch bus sells an array of sweet and savory brunch menu items across the city. From wings and waffles to catfish and grits. An awesome black-owned food business to support in 2022 if you haven't already!

To be a business owner starts with finding a problem in the world and solving it. Brand Appetite has conveniently found issues in the world and partnered with businesses that desire to give back from the heart. One of the best things that happened out of the whole experience was watching people feel comfort- able with asking questions and gaining support from The Cox and Pradia Firm owners. Such a beautiful collab!

As always, support all of these black businesses. They are businesses that serve the community and put the people first. If you would like to learn more about The Cox Pradia please visit coxpradialaw.com. Follow The Brunch Bus Food Truck on Instagram @the.brunchbus to see their weekly locations. Visit brandappetit.com to learn more about Misti and her mission to connect business and community. We need more business to create balance and sources for those in need. That's what business is all about.