TH UR SDA Y , M A R C H 16 , 20 17
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Offering spices and skills Shop in downtown Oswego gives those with disabilities opportunity to work By ALLISON SELK news@kendallcountynow.com
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oung adult Karley Hanson grabs a canister of loose leaf tea, a scoop and a scale, while co-worker Phillip Weir peels a label and places it on the bag for the tea before he hands it to Hanson to fill. Both volunteers have taken advantage of job experience at the spice store called A Pinch of Happiness in downtown Oswego which was recently acquired in October by Celebrate Differences, a local organization that provides support to individuals with disabilities and their families. “I’m here to get job training skills and I love spices and cooking. I fill tea and spices, ring up customers, give customers change and label. Filling the jars is my favorite because I like smelling the spices,” Hanson said. Founder Rebecca Christiansen said in 2004 she gave birth to fraternal twins, Ryan and Kyle, and Ryan was diagnosed with Down syndrome. She said she and her husband felt like there were not resources and wanted to network more with other families in Kendall County. In 2007, she began Celebrate Differences and for the first two years, the organization was highly concentrated on serving the Down syndrome community, but later branched off into an allinclusive group. Christiansen said the idea for the spice store stemmed from the MORE (More Opportunities for Recreation and Employment) group at Celebrate Differences, which promotes life and vocational skills and health and wellness while working within the community in which they live. These young adults with disabilities have resources in high
“I’m here to get job training skills and I love spices and cooking. I fill tea and spices, ring up customers, give customers change and label. Filling the jars is my favorite because I like smelling the spices.” Karley Hanson Worker at A Pinch of Happiness school and a transition program up to age 22 but after, Christiansen said, there wasn’t much to give her son and others life skills as well as job skills in order to find employment. “After they are 22, then it’s time to apply for and find a job to get paid. We have parents and young adults that said they can’t find jobs. It was always on my radar to start some type of business. We found that the spice shop was for sale and I talked to the owner and asked ‘Do you think people with disabilities could measure out spices?’ We then went into negotiations,” Christiansen said. The organization took ownership in October, but had a ribbon cutting March 8 with the Oswego Chamber of Commerce, community members, Celebrate Differences families, and village of Oswego and Oswego Township trustees in attendance. “It was amazing. There were so many people in the store we couldn’t even move. The support was amazing. My son Ryan said it was like Christmas all over again,” Christiansen said. Veronica Weir was brought into the store to compose a training program for the store.
See SPICE SHOP, page 8
ABOVE: Volunteers Karley Hanson (left) and Phillip Weir assist A Pinch of Happiness customer Jennifer Molloy of Plainfield with her spice purchases Saturday. The store, which was acquired by the organization Celebrate Differences, offers young adults with disabilities job training. LEFT: Employment trainer Veronica Weir helps her son Phillip place tags on bags to be filled with bulk spices at A Pinch of Happiness spice store in Oswego. Photos by Allison Selk for Shaw Media