A Harrison-based, dog-cookie company that raises money for guide dogs has been able to increase its productivity thanks to a team of dedicated bakers in Chilliwack.
Four people with Chilliwack Society for Community Living (CSCL) 含羞草研究社� a non-profit organization that supports adults with developmental disabilities 含羞草研究社� were recently hired to help make Tommy含羞草研究社檚 Choice Dog Cookies.
Back in October 2023, they met 16-year-old Ryder Newhouse, the young entrepreneur who started the dog-treat business in January 2022.
Ryder, who has autism spectrum disorder, and his grandmother Lillian Newhouse said Tommy含羞草研究社檚 Choice has been so successful over the past two years that they couldn含羞草研究社檛 keep up with demand.
Ryder and Lillian were guest speakers at a workshop in Langley hosted by Community Futures B.C. as part of its Entrepreneurs with Disabilities program. While there, they connected with vocational councillor Jodie Dessau from CSCL, and she suggested that the adults in CSCL含羞草研究社檚 Life program would be the perfect fit for Ryder含羞草研究社檚 business.
含羞草研究社淚n the Life program, you have to want to work,含羞草研究社� Dessau said.
含羞草研究社楲ife含羞草研究社� stands for 含羞草研究社榣earning, inclusion, friendship and employment.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淓very person who joins us has jobs besides this dog-cookie business,含羞草研究社� Dessau said.
Life program client Alec Chelczynski stocks shelves at FreshCo, and also helps clean kennels and feed animals at a pet hotel in Rosedale. Kyle McMillan works at the Mission Thrift Store. And Kara-Lyn Loewen and Michelle Phillips deliver the Coffee News throughout Chilliwack.
They all get paid for those jobs, and now they含羞草研究社檙e getting even more income by making Tommy含羞草研究社檚 Choice Dog Cookies every week.
含羞草研究社淚 think the best part of the whole thing is they含羞草研究社檙e enjoying it,含羞草研究社� Lillian said. 含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 just so gratifying for them.含羞草研究社�
The extra hands have been 含羞草研究社渞eally helpful,含羞草研究社� she added.
Ryder and the four adults in the Life program are known as Team Ryder. They were at the Christmas Craft Market in November where Chelczynski, also known as the team含羞草研究社檚 salesperson, had customers coming to the booth by shouting out 含羞草研究社淓xtra! Extra! Tommy含羞草研究社檚 Choice Dog Cookies!含羞草研究社�
Once a week, the Life members make 24 packages of cookies with help from Ryder. In addition, Ryder also bakes dog treats twice a week at a commercial kitchen in Agassiz.
Thanks to the team from CSCL, Ryder has been able to raise even more donations for BC and Alberta Guide Dogs.
Animal-lover Loewen has already put some of her income from making cookies back into the community.
After a recent pay cheque, instead of holding onto the money for herself, she bought two packages of Tommy含羞草研究社檚 Choice Dog Cookies and donated them to the Community Animal Response and Education (CARE) Centre.
含羞草研究社淚 don含羞草研究社檛 care about money, I care about animals,含羞草研究社� Loewen said. 含羞草研究社淓verybody含羞草研究社檚 so focused on money. For me, I care about what含羞草研究社檚 more important in life 含羞草研究社� animals. That含羞草研究社檚 who I am.含羞草研究社�
Tommy含羞草研究社檚 Choice Dog Cookies are available in 18 stores in B.C., including seven in the Chilliwack/Rosedale area, and five in Agassiz/Harrison. For more, go to tommyschoicedogcookies.ca.
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