Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/398704
Beaufort Association Pet Treat Bakery For 18 people with developmental disabilities in Courtenay, life has gone to the dogs – and they couldn't be happier about it. All have found meaningful employment at the Beaufort Association for the Mentally Handicapped's Pet Treat Bakery, a wholesale manufacturer of high-quality, all-natural pet treats. And while the business objective might be to put treats in the paws of every dog and cat in town, the Association's ultimate objective is to build employment success and self-esteem for its workforce while adding dollars to their pockets. e bakery employs people of diverse ability, paying industry- standard wages for work that utilizes their unique skills and talents, and promotes dignity, respect and self-worth. e business is flex- ible enough to offer a 28-hour workweek and specialized job shar- ing so those individuals only able to do certain tasks can still be fully employed. "is changes people's lives," says executive director Susan Bunn. "ey have jobs and are proud they have jobs. ey have Facebook pages and they couldn't wait to post that they have paying jobs. Six ladies meet every Saturday for coffee – just like girls working in an office. ey're the Liver Queens; they say 'we work there.'" Bunn says the bakery is more than just jobs and pet treats; her workers shop local, spending the disposable income they have – some for the first time. And people with developmental disabilities now have a higher profile in the community because her workers are out there doing things. Cindy Cameron is one of those workers. She is lead hand in the Pet Treat Bakery dehydration plant, turning pigs' ears, chicken feet and beef liver into delectable and much-sought-after treats for dogs and cats. She says she needs job support as she talks slower and some- times doesn't understand. And while she used to work washing dishes in a restaurant, her hours were always casual and she had trouble paying her bills. Today, after four-and-a-half years at Pet Treat Bakery, she is enjoying being a consumer. "I bought a brand-new TV and bed. Everything I bought – no one has slept on it or used it before. I pay my own bills. I have a bigger apartment and I don't want to move," she says. She also likes her work as lead hand as it lets her help others, and she says she sees herself working there until she is 90 years old – or more. "I love it here; a lot of people are like my family. Susan [and others] support me for my job. Sometimes I talk to my team partner and help them do it the right way, not the wrong way. Sometimes [the work] is hard to do, but you get better at it. Sometimes you teach control and attitude," says Cameron. "I'm almost like a boss, but not quite." ere is no doubt the Pet Treat Bakery is a success by any stan- dard. Bunn says the not-for-profit bakery has been "in the black" since it opened in 2010; it's already doubled its sales, and demand has outstripped its capacity. As proof, the bakery has two waiting lists: one for product and another for individuals wanting to work there. To help meet both sides of that demand, Vancouver Foundation granted $7,965 from its Disability Supports for Employment Fund (DSEF) toward an expansion that will help the bakery meet the needs of the market and create additional employment opportunities. e DSEF, established in 2003, was funded by the provincial government with contributions totalling $25 million. Its express purpose is to fund innovative approaches to employment and employability for persons with physical, mental health or multiple disabilities. anks to the grant, the bakery has purchased additional dehy- drators and is hiring and training more workers, empowering more individuals to live life with dignity, respect and self-worth. But there is one more benefit to employment that money can't buy, and Cameron gets to experience it each day. "Every dog and cat where I live, they come to me and think I have treats. ey smell it on me," she says. "Every day, a dog licks my shoes!" A social enterprise bakery offers hard-to-find meaningful employment for workers with developmental disabilities By corey Van't Haaff A Recipe for Self-Esteem Photo: iStock F a l l 2 0 1 4 I V a n c o u v e r F o u n d a t i o n l p a g e 2 5 If you would like to help support young people with disabilities, contact Kristin in Development & Donor Services at Vancouver Foundation at 604.629.5186 or go to vancouverfoundation.ca/give