Gil’s Sweet Abilities, an at-home bakery business run by a mother and her son with autism

A community mom and son team are redefining the choices for folks with Autism with their qualified at-dwelling bakery, Gil’s Sweet Capabilities. 

“We are baking cinnamon rolls,” Gilbert Valenzuela said from his house in Whittier. 

The cinnamon rolls are 1 of Gilbert’s beloved objects to make at the family’s at-residence bakery he operates alongside with his mom Jeanette Valenzuela. 

“Life with Gilbert, it truly is sort of like currently being on a roller coaster with your eyes shut. You know, autism is not a breeze,” Jeanette said. 

The 20-calendar year-outdated Gilbert was diagnosed with autism 16 several years in the past, and he led a incredibly hectic daily life till June of 2020. 

“He graduated, and then there was nothing at all. So, Gilbert required a thing to do.” 

Which is when Jeannette reported she resolved to provide Gilbert on as an formal paid employee. 

“You will need to get breaks and the get the job done can be modified, but if want to generate this dollars, then you’re going to have to do the function,” she claimed of the venture with her son. 

The style is simple and the pair’s teamwork is unbeatable. 

“Our busiest occasions are Halloween as a result of Xmas. The final working day we do accept orders, although, is on Xmas Eve and the working day ahead of Christmas Eve. So, that’s the day you received to pick up,” Gilbert reported. 

Jeannette said likely from mom to manager wasn’t way too a great deal of a changeover, but believes it will be when they hopefully improve the business enterprise. 

“Inviting some of his friends, whether it be somebody with autism or Shaw Gibbs syndrome or down-syndrome, men and women all with exceptional skills that may well not have the prospects that a common human being would.” 

In the up coming five many years, she and Gilbert hope to have a brick-and-mortar retailer with a number of workers. Until finally then, they’re going to operate from residence, a put where by there is a good deal of their top secret component. 

“Mine are really created with like, just like how crabby patties are designed with appreciate,” Gilbert explained.