When Muhammad first founded Down North Pizza in the underprivileged North Philadelphia neighborhood of Strawberry Mansion, he did so with a mission: to exclusively hire formerly incarcerated individuals, giving them a chance they may not otherwise have.
As someone who was once on house arrest for a year, Muhammad says the project was "more personal and important for me."
"I wanted to provide them options so they could better serve their community," he explains.
And he didn't just mean employment. Not only does Muhammad offer his staff training for a job that will ultimately provide them with transferrable skills, but he also provides housing opportunities and legal consultation.
As Mike, his executive chef, puts it best, "Down North Pizza…[shows] what guys given a second chance can actually do."
