FLINT, MI – What began as a food truck serving hand-scooped ice cream has turned into a warm refuge for students at the University of Michigan–Flint.
When Elena Hernandez purchased Happy Camper Ice Cream in March 2023, she didn’t just want to sell desserts — she wanted to create a place that felt like home.
By August of that year, she and her partner, Erick Lawson, moved the business into the UM-Flint cafeteria, transforming it into a hub for ice cream, brunch, and comfort food.
The pair work with Guernsey Farms Dairy in Northville to serve rich, Michigan-made ice cream, offering everything from nostalgic sundaes and ice cream nachos to milkshakes and hand-scooped flavors — but no soft serve.
The menu goes far beyond dessert, with all-day brunch, bagel and panini sandwiches, crepes, and even a stuffed waffle filled with blueberries, strawberries, sprinkles, and chocolate chips — a treat Hernandez proudly calls unique to her shop.
Next week, Happy Camper will expand again, this time into homemade soups.
“We make everything by hand so the quality is there,” Hernandez said.
Her inspiration for running the business came from a desire to take control of her life.
After years in insurance, Hernandez bought the food truck — nicknamed Matilda — in 2023, despite her fear of leaving a steady career.
“The previous owner encouraged me and said, ‘Do it scared.’ That’s been my motto ever since,” she said. “I left my job last April and this is it for me. I love it.”
Matilda operates from May through October, serving ice cream across Genesee County. They’re available for corporate events, weddings, and public and private events.
Meanwhile, business at the campus location has grown steadily, especially after the Genesee County Administration Building moved in across the street.
But Hernandez’s impact reaches far beyond food.
Students affectionately call her and Lawson “campus mom and dad,” drawn to their kindness and open hearts.
“They can come and hang out whether they buy anything or not,” she said. “We’ve fed kids and given them food boxes over the weekend that were struggling financially.”
Hernandez regularly hosts school fundraisers, joins downtown Flint events, and holds monthly gatherings for students — from ice cream socials to haircut drives with local barber Wayne the Barber.
She also adopts a family each Christmas and provides free meals to the homeless every week.
Through it all, she says the goal has never changed: to make people feel safe, cared for, and welcome.
“It’s my responsibility,” Hernandez said. “I was a single mom at one point and needed assistance.”
Happy Camper Ice Cream is open Monday through Friday during normal business hours. Follow them on Facebook.