Utah's Hope

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A job can be more than a paycheck. It can provide dignity, create opportunities, and open doors for meaningful change in someone's life.

For April Tam Smith, that belief inspired an unconventional approach to generosity: creating a restaurant that serves great food while giving people who need it most a second chance.

April and her husband, Graham, are co-founders of P.S. Kitchen, a nonprofit restaurant in New York City's Times Square. Alongside a group of like-minded partners, they've built a business that combines hospitality, employment opportunities, and charitable giving.

April joined the show today to share how the restaurant began and what she's learned about using business as a vehicle for generosity.

The inspiration for P.S. Kitchen began long before the restaurant opened its doors.

Early in their marriage, April and Graham spent part of their honeymoon in Haiti, volunteering with organizations that provided hearing aids and other health services to people in need.

While that experience was meaningful, something else caught April's attention: the transformative power of employment. She remembers watching people walk into an industrial park in Haiti and noticing the dignity and purpose that came from having meaningful work.

That experience planted a seed. What if generosity could involve more than donating money? What if it could also create opportunities for people to earn a living, provide for their families, and build a better future?

April became increasingly interested in social businesses that address social problems through sustainable business models. The idea was simple but powerful: A business could generate revenue while also creating opportunities for people and communities to thrive.

That vision eventually became P.S. Kitchen.

When April began developing the restaurant, she had little experience in the food industry. She had spent more than two decades working in equity derivatives, and she readily admits that she wasn't even particularly passionate about food. 

But she understood the kind of business she wanted to create.

The goal wasn't simply to open a restaurant that donated a portion of its earnings to charity. April wanted generosity to shape every part of the operation, from the food it served to the people it employed and how it used its profits.

P.S. Kitchen was designed as an inviting restaurant serving delicious, innovative, plant-based food. Customers could enjoy a great dining experience without necessarily knowing anything about the mission behind it. 

The restaurant's name reflects that approach.

At the bottom of its menu, customers discover a series of additional messages: P.S., the restaurant employs people who may need a second chance. P.S., the menu is entirely plant-based. P.S., the profits are used to support charitable purposes.

In other words, the mission is woven into the business rather than treated as an afterthought. April, Graham, and several friends initially funded the restaurant themselves. Over time, the ownership was donated entirely to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

That's why April describes herself and Graham as co-founders rather than co-owners. They helped bring the restaurant into existence, but its purpose extends beyond their personal financial interests.

Opening a restaurant in Times Square might seem like an unusual choice for a nonprofit venture. But for April, the location was intentional.

Throughout her finance career, she built relationships with colleagues and clients who shared her desire to make a difference. Some had accompanied her on service trips to Hait

Some people bake a double batch of cookies and then wonder why they’re tempted to eat sweets. Some make sure their new car has a supercharged-mega-hemi-turbo-GT engine and wonder why the police seem to be handing out more speeding tickets. Today on A NEW BEGINNING, Pastor Greg Laurie helps us take an honest look at temptation and how we often set ourselves up for the fall. We’ll learn to recalibrate and set ourselves up for more success, and more satisfaction.

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Are parents putting too much pressure on their children to succeed? In this episode, John Fuller and Dr. Danny Huerta explore the growing trend of performance-driven parenting and how it's affecting kids' well-being. Along with Dr. Kevin Leman, they challenge parents to redefine success around character rather than achievement, examine whether their love feels conditional on performance, and model the values they want to see in their children.

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James Brown, CBS host of The NFL Today, shares his personal faith journey, family story, and transformation through Jesus Christ. Brown reflects on the powerful influence of his mother’s faith and discipline, his early struggles after being cut from professional basketball, and the moment in his mid-20s when he turned to God and began a lifelong spiritual commitment. He emphasizes the importance of responsibility, humility, and “walking the talk” as a Christian, both in family life and public influence. The conversation also explores themes of racial unity, the role of Scripture in addressing cultural challenges, and the lasting impact of mentors like coaches and parents.

In the Sports & Faith collection, you’ll hear powerful testimonies from athletes with memorable track records in sports and an even greater legacy in faith.

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They said they don’t believe anymore. And now your brain wants to draft a sermon while your stomach drops through the floor. When someone you love walks away from God, what actually helps—and what pushes them farther away? Deconversion expert John Marriott joins Dave and Ann Wilson on FamilyLife Today with a wiser way to handle the questions, fear, and conversations you desperately don’t want to blow.

Show Notes and Resources

• How Can I Help My Kids Avoid a Crisis of Faith?.
• John Marriott.

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One of the simplest ways to stay out of credit card debt is to save up for major purchases before you make them. When you plan for expenses you know are coming, you can pay with money you already have instead of borrowing from tomorrow’s income. On the next Faith & Finance Live, Rob West looks at a simple way to do that. Then, it’s on to calls. That’s Faith and Finance Live . . . biblical wisdom for your financial journey. That’s weekdays at 4pm Eastern/3pm Central on Moody Radio.

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