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) 乌鸦传媒� a non-profit organization that supports adults with developmental disabilities 乌鸦传媒� were recently hired to help make Tommy乌鸦传媒檚 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乌鸦传媒檚 Choice has been so successful over the past two years that they couldn乌鸦传媒檛 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乌鸦传媒檚 Life program would be the perfect fit for Ryder乌鸦传媒檚 business.
乌鸦传媒淚n the Life program, you have to want to work,乌鸦传媒� Dessau said.
乌鸦传媒楲ife乌鸦传媒� stands for 乌鸦传媒榣earning, inclusion, friendship and employment.乌鸦传媒�
乌鸦传媒淓very person who joins us has jobs besides this dog-cookie business,乌鸦传媒� 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乌鸦传媒檙e getting even more income by making Tommy乌鸦传媒檚 Choice Dog Cookies every week.
乌鸦传媒淚 think the best part of the whole thing is they乌鸦传媒檙e enjoying it,乌鸦传媒� Lillian said. 乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 just so gratifying for them.乌鸦传媒�
The extra hands have been 乌鸦传媒渞eally helpful,乌鸦传媒� 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乌鸦传媒檚 salesperson, had customers coming to the booth by shouting out 乌鸦传媒淓xtra! Extra! Tommy乌鸦传媒檚 Choice Dog Cookies!乌鸦传媒�
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乌鸦传媒檚 Choice Dog Cookies and donated them to the Community Animal Response and Education (CARE) Centre.
乌鸦传媒淚 don乌鸦传媒檛 care about money, I care about animals,乌鸦传媒� Loewen said. 乌鸦传媒淓verybody乌鸦传媒檚 so focused on money. For me, I care about what乌鸦传媒檚 more important in life 乌鸦传媒� animals. That乌鸦传媒檚 who I am.乌鸦传媒�
Tommy乌鸦传媒檚 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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