RCK Member Ada Hernandez-Bell introduced our speaker, Yassin Therou, proprietor of Yassin’s Falafel House restaurants. Yassin is familiar to the Rotary Club of Knoxville because he was the 2018 recipient of the Rotary Club of Knoxville Peace Award. Yassin has received several recognitions and awards over the last few years, but said that the RCK Peace Award holds a very special place in his heart. And he suggested that our Club members looked even better today than we did in 2018. Yassin initially asked whether we preferred that he give his presentation in Arabic with an English accent or in English with an Arabic accent. The latter prevailed.
Yassin came to Knoxville from Damascus, Syria in 2011. He left Syria because of ongoing conflict there. He came to America looking for two things, safety and opportunity. He said he has lived the American dream. To Yassin, America is not perfect, but it is the best.
Yassin pointed out a couple of things that he has learned here in America. First, contrary to the rest of the world, football here is played with the hands, not the feet. And, the southern phrase “bless your heart” can mean different things. Some, not entirely flattering. So, his usual response to “bless your heart” is “and you too.”
Yassin initially lived in the Fort Sanders area, and in looking for an opportunity to work looked for people who spoke Arabic. He found the local Annoor Mosque, and began selling sandwiches in front of the mosque to worshippers after prayers. He initially sold a sandwich and a drink for $5. He well remembers that after a few weeks he made $100 in one week, which was a big deal to him. A friend suggested that he sell his sandwiches downtown, and made available to him some empty space in the Walnut Building. He made the sandwiches elsewhere and took them to the Walnut Building. However, the Health Department initially closed him down because he did not have the necessary permits. He borrowed some money, got the necessary permits, and opened his first restaurant in the Walnut Building in 2014.
Yassin said that downtown Knoxville is very connected, and a good place for his business. However, while working downtown, he learned about the problem of homelessness. He remembered that he came here with nothing, but the community accepted him and he has become successful. He wanted to share with others what the community has made available to him, and now he regularly helps feed the homeless. He provided an opportunity to work at his restaurant to two ladies who were having difficulties and were living at the YWCA near his restaurant. Those two ladies now manage two of his restaurants. He pointed out that many of his employees are of different cultures, different religions, different beliefs, but they work well together.
Yassin has started a non-profit organization called Seeds and Bridges. It is a charitable effort to help people in need, particularly refugees and the homeless. Seeds and Bridges is so named because seeds grow into thriving plants and bridges connect communities. He is working on a project to acquire a food truck to sell sandwiches to provide funds for the organization and to be available to help feed first responders and others in emergency situations.
The motto of Yassin’s restaurants and the signs in front of each read: “Welcome All Sizes, All Colors, All Ages, All Sexes, All Cultures, All Religions, All Types, All Beliefs, All People Safe Here.”