To cope with the worry of unemployment for her child with Down syndrome, Maria Veal opened up a bakery for her son and other people with disabilities.

Veal’s 18-year-old son, Billy, has always been a social butterfly and loves meeting new people. “He’s very social,” says Veal. “He’s sort of like the mayor, very sympathetic and very hard-working.” But, having Down syndrome can be a barrier for that at times. Although Billy never thought about it, Veal was always worried about Billy getting employed, as it is common for employers to discontinue their hiring of individuals with special needs.

To compensate for that worry, the Veal family decided to open up Little Something Extra, a family-owned bakery that hires people of all skills and abilities, in Oak Lawn, Illinois. The bakery held its almost-2- week grand opening from September 5 to September 16, 2018, and customers are overjoyed with the experience. The best selling items include doughnuts, bear claws and scones. Veal says, “We hope that we can provide opportunities to kids and adults with special needs, because we know they can contribute to our bakery, and to Oak Lawn.”