Baking Change: Empowering Adults with Disabilities at South Fork Bakery
South Fork Bakery is a not-for-profit Bakery that educates, empowers, and employs adults with disabilities located on the Eastern End of Long Island. Over 65% of working-age adults with disabilities are unemployed in the United States, and South Fork bakery combats this statistic by offering training and placement of adults with disabilities to local businesses throughout Long Island. The delicious baked goods, ranging from their signature chocolate chip cookies to brownies and blondies, are not only a labor of love but they also prove that adults with disabilities have the ability to work successfully— it’s only a matter of encouraging employers to be patient and recognize this as well. South Fork Bakery extends these opportunities with their Launch Program which trains, teaches, and educates special needs adults, equipping them with valuable skills for employment in the broader community.
This summer, I completed an unpaid internship at South Fork Bakery. I worked in the main room with most other employees rolling and measuring out the dough for the cookies, packaging the baked - goods, and assembling boxes for orders and farmers markets. There were also other employees diligently working in the kitchen to get everything prepared. South Fork Bakery has a strong system of organization that makes working extremely efficient. In the room I worked in along with the other employees there was structure and organization – most employees had the same tasks to complete such as rolling out the dough, and packaging baked goods every day. South Fork Bakery instills a comforting environment in which there is this mutual understanding of one another’s differences, and inclusivity in the form of understanding and accommodating of individual needs. Everyone was patient with one another, and willing to help each other at any given time.
During my time there, I learned so much and formed many meaningful connections with fellow employees, and guardians. Throughout the day, during our lunch time I would sit with fellow employees and we would share interests and stories with one another. I was moved by the close relationships they had with one another, as some, like two of the employees, had known each other since elementary school and considered each other still “best friends.” Often we shared humorous anecdotes, one most memorably shared by the friend of another employee was when he was younger and would eat the core of the apple during school lunch, even after being told not to. Not only was there this mutual love shared between one another at the Bakery, but also this strong sense of community through sympathizing with each other and the fostering of support.
South Fork Bakery’s most popular baked item is their chocolate chip cookie, deliciously crispy and composed of the perfect ratio of chocolate to cookie. This take on the chocolate chip cookie is my personal favorite, better than homemade and most other bakeries’ interpretations on the chocolate chip cookie. As the cookie is crispy, yet soft and composed of a generous amount of chocolate. My second favorite South Fork Bakery delight is the Em-Power Bar, which empowers you for your day with healthy oat bran, flax, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower butter, and maple syrup. The texture is soft yet slightly chewy, making it an easy on-the-go power snack. South Fork Bakery offers more delicious options like their brownie, but they also provide seasonal options like pies during Thanksgiving, and holiday boxes (composed of a variety of the bakery’s goods).
Although October is National Disability Awareness, just like South Fork Bakery, we have the responsibility of raising awareness and empowering those with disabilities every month. We should recognize the profound impact of supporting businesses like South Fork Bakery, as their influence on the disabled community and beyond is so profound. By choosing to buy from businesses that prioritize inclusivity, we contribute to a larger movement that breaks down the barriers of prejudice many with disabilities face. Funding South Fork Bakery not only means indulging in their delicious treats but also endorsing a vision where everyone, regardless of ability, has the opportunity to thrive. Just as the bakery aims to uplift adults with disabilities, it is important for us to make a conscious effort to extend and share the bakery’s mission with others, ensuring they continue to provide meaningful employment and inspire change. While South Fork Bakery does not have its own store, many of their products are sold at stores across Long Island like Goldbergs, Hampton coffee, and more. By purchasing the bakery’s items from these stores you are supporting local businesses rooted in supporting worthy causes. You can also purchase the Bakery’s items from their website, and their merchandise (also found on their website), drawing visual attention to the Bakery’s mission.
Written by Margaret Lavin
