The 15 employees at Bake Ability, a sweet shop in Pipersville, are very similar: They all work with pride. They all excel at creating sweet bakery items. And they all are grateful for a work environment accepting of their Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDDs). Peter Blanchard in the Doylestown Patch recently profiled Bake Ability and its admirable hiring practices. 

The business’ driver is Paula Fasciano. 

Advocating for her adult son, Matthew, she tried multiple tactics to find him suitable employment. A diagnosis of Fragile X syndrome, a genetic disorder that leads to mild-to-moderate IDD, continually hampered job prospects. 

“It’s very, very hard to find an individual who is differently abled some meaningful employment,” she said, remembering the frustration. 

She connected with a friend (also the parent of a child with IDD), a baker by trade. 

Together, the moms came up with a recipe for successfully helping their kids: If they couldn’t find jobs for their special needs children, they decided to create them. 

Fasciano worked three jobs to raise the needed capital to purchase a recently vacated bakery. 

She and her business associate now employ 15 adults with some form of intellectual disability. They’re paired with professionals who train them. 

More about the Fasciano family and its cookie, cupcake and lemon bar success is in the Doylestown Patch.