Featured Blog: Reason to Bake

For our first addition of “Featured Blog” we chose the blog of a woman who created a gluten-free baking company with her daughter who has Down syndrome. The blog starts by telling Elise Sampson and her daughter Carolyn’s story. However, the real theme of the blog is to encourage families of young adults with disabilities to help them pursue their biggest dreams. Elise started the business with Carolyn because Carolyn dreamed of being a baker, but struggled with finding the right fit for her skills in the job market. They started by selling cupcakes and muffins around town and it has now grown into a real business with their products being sold in 13 retail locations across Western North Carolina. Their first series of posts are called “Giving Wings to Dreams:  Creating Career Opportunities for Your Special Needs Child.” In the series, they will tell about the process they went through from wishful thinking to a vision come true. Additionally, they will tell about others who embarked on a similar journey and how you can take the steps to make your own. Read their blog here: