Bakery on a Mission: Empowering Adults With Special Needs

ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY — The artisan breads, babkas and brownies produced by Rising Above Bakery share one key ingredient—they're made with pride by young adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities.

An important byproduct, according to Founder and President Shiri Reuveni-Ullrich, is independence.

With plans to open a brick-and-mortar shop on hold due to the pandemic, Rising Above currently operates as a cottage bakery from Reuveni-Ullrich's Chestnut Ridge kitchen and offers "baking for life" workshops, which provide instruction at an appropriate pace with abundant reinforcement.

"After spending over a year researching and composing the start-up team, we were about to begin searching for a location—and then the pandemic hit," she told Patch. "I also suffered a serious illness which led to a lot of soul-searching. I decided to shift gears and began operating as a cottage bakery. The opportunity to scale down let me focus on perfecting our recipes and introducing our products by selling them from our website. We now have a solid foundation to build upon and become sustainable."

Her vision for the future is to have a brick-and-mortar bakery offering sourdough breads, baked goods and grab-and-go breakfast and lunch.

They are also looking for volunteer bakers interested in getting their hands nice and floury.

"Our storefront will provide employment for individuals with disabilities in an all-inclusive environment. You would come into our store, experience a magical moment of people working together despite their disabilities, and you would leave with an awesome freshly baked bread and a huge smile," she said. "We will create a community that enjoys each other’s company without labels."

From early on in her career as a pediatric speech therapist, Reuveni-Ullrich shared her love of baking and cooking with students who, she knows, benefit from hands-on sensory experiences. Her 'aha-moment' was the day she stopped to listen to a group of non-verbal, mostly autistic teenagers making cookies.

“They were humming and laughing. Whatever walled them in, they shed it off and became who they are,” she said. “This is it, I thought, this is what needs to be done.”

Each week, Reuveni-Ullrich guides a small group of aspiring bakers in preparing sweet and savory treats that customers pre-order from www.risingabovebakery.org and pick up at Hudson Market on Main in Nyack — including an Olive & Rosemary Loaf, Nordic Rye, and Cherry & Chocolate Chip Cookies. Many items are vegan or gluten-free, the latter a common dietary concern for those with IDDs.

Among the bakers is Connor Carson, a 20-year-old from Cresskill, New Jersey with Down Syndrome. His mother, Lisa Carson, said Connor is thriving and cherishes being part of Rising Above.

“Existing employment opportunities for these adults are so limited and narrow in thought. I have known for a while that my son deserved something more,” said Carson, who is also involved — as secretary of the non-profit organization’s board of trustees. “Connor loves being part of Shiri's world and what she is building. He feels special while he is there and the way that he is respected is so heartwarming and important for Connor and for me.”

All proceeds from sales — as well as donations to Rising Above's Kickstart Challenge—help fund ingredients, workshops, kitchenware and appliances needed to expand the number of young adults involved, widen distribution of their baked goods and, ultimately, open a café/bakeshop.

The online kickstarter has raised 59 percent of its modest goal of $20,000. You can help out here.