WHY DO GOOD.

Do Good Donuts and Café is a start-up employment social enterprise delivering work-based training for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Our innovative paid, on-the-job training program delivers person-led training in an integrated food service business.

Our employees with intellectual and developmental disabilities learn how to have a job on the job – bridging the current gap between programs that teach them how to find employment and employers who see their lack of work experience as a barrier to hiring.

At Do Good, employees with disabilities work alongside supportive staff to gain the skills and confidence they need to be ready to work in jobs in the community. Together, we produce delicious donuts and cookies, which are sold at farmer's markets and for catering to clients across the city.

Not only does this unique approach to training prepare our participants for a successful transition to work, but it also allows the community to see how these often overlooked young people thrive at work.

MEET MELANIE AND ALMA

Melanie Côté, the Founder of Do Good Donuts, is a proud parent and fierce advocate for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, like her daughter Alma.

Alma was diagnosed with a rare genetic syndrome called Williams Syndrome when she was five months old. At this appointment, Melanie and her husband, Chris, heard doctors tell them that Alma would lead a different life than their older child Shane. Alma would need a large team of specialists and therapists throughout her life. She may never be in a regular classroom, have friends, or be invited to birthday parties. She would likely never get a high school diploma, live away from home, go to college or have a job.

That very day, Melanie started to look for young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities living and thriving in her community. That was nine years ago, and at this time, she has seen three youths working in her busy Toronto neighbourhood that she could see had ID/DD. And that didn’t seem right. So, she created Do Good Donuts.

At Do Good, young adults with disabilities, like Alma, have the chance to raise the bar and redefine expectations – giving people in the community, especially parents who feel like she did all those years ago, the opportunity to rethink what’s possible.

Melanie hopes that by the time her daughter is ready to leave school, getting a job is just what kids like her do. Until then, there’s Do Good.

ALMA,

Do Good Donuts CSO - Chief Sprinkle Officer

Alma is a curious, funny and engaging child who wants to be a doctor or work at Starbucks when she grows up. The inspiration for Do Good Donuts, Alma loves dance class, Girl Guides, Special Olympics Fundamentals program, and figure skating, stuffed animals and being part of group activities with her classmates. Birthday parties are her favourite.

As Alma says when she’s being left out at school, “Inclusion Matters.”.This is true in the schoolyard, in the classroom, in the community, in college programs and, perhaps most importantly, in the workforce.

Alma knows she’s different, but she doesn’t know that she isn’t supposed to go far, have dreams, or live life to the fullest.

Let’s keep it that way.