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

A community mother and son team are redefining the choices for persons with Autism with their professional at-residence bakery, Gil’s Sweet Abilities. 

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

The cinnamon rolls are one particular of Gilbert’s most loved things to make at the family’s at-residence bakery he operates together with his mom Jeanette Valenzuela. 

“Existence with Gilbert, it is kind of like becoming on a roller coaster with your eyes shut. You know, autism is not a breeze,” Jeanette explained. 

The 20-12 months-previous Gilbert was diagnosed with autism 16 many years back, and he led a quite active lifetime until eventually June of 2020. 

“He graduated, and then there was practically nothing. So, Gilbert essential a thing to do.” 

That is when Jeannette said she decided to bring Gilbert on as an official paid out worker. 

“You will need to get breaks and the perform can be modified, but if want to gain this income, then you happen to be heading to have to do the perform,” she reported of the undertaking with her son. 

The flavor is undeniable and the pair’s teamwork is unbeatable. 

“Our busiest moments are Halloween via Christmas. The final day we do take orders, though, is on Christmas Eve and the day right before Xmas Eve. So, that’s the day you bought to pick up,” Gilbert mentioned. 

Jeannette said likely from mom to manager was not way too considerably of a transition, but thinks it will be when they hopefully improve the business. 

“Inviting some of his peers, irrespective of whether it be a person with autism or Shaw Gibbs syndrome or down-syndrome, folks all with one of a kind abilities that may perhaps not have the chances that a typical individual would.” 

In the future 5 a long time, she and Gilbert hope to have a brick-and-mortar store with quite a few employees. Until eventually then, they are going to get the job done from house, a location exactly where there’s a ton of their key component. 

“Mine are actually built with like, just like how crabby patties are designed with enjoy,” Gilbert reported.