![]() ![]() Welcome to Casey's Cookies, a 501(c)(3) Florida Not-For-Profit Social Enterprise. Our mission is to promote independence and improve the quality of life for developmentally and physically disabled adults through training and employment, and to develop a residential community in the Tampa Bay area where Casey's Cookies employees can live and work in a safe and nurturing environment. Unfortunately, Casey’s Cookies has discontinued cookie making operations ... at least for a while. We established Casey’s Cookies as a Social Enterprise, with the hope that within a few years it could become self-sustaining through the sale of cookies. But, after five years we still needed to cover 50% of our operating expenses through individual and corporate donations, and those donations had declined over the past year. In retrospect, we may have simply chosen the wrong enterprise. Producing a food product requires a commercial kitchen, state licensing, special certifications, and raw materials that are not inexpensive. Combine that with a fairly high labor cost and it becomes clear that balancing revenue with expenses for a premium cookie enterprise powered by disabled adults is a goal that simply may not be attainable. Of course we’re sad that our disabled participants will no longer have a job at the Casey’s Cookies kitchen. But, we find comfort in knowing that the non-profit social enterprise that we started in 2010 has not only trained and employed a number of disabled adults – it’s groomed them to be much more confident and secure in their ability to do a job, and to do it well. Although cookie operations have been discontinued, the 501c3 will not be terminated before the end of 2015. If you have a desire to help keep this non-profit active, have special knowledge of some other enterprise that could employ the disabled, and are willing to volunteer your time and resources in the St. Petersburg area, we’d be happy to meet with you and explore a transition plan. Please contact us at Barry@CaseysCookies.org. In the meantime, to all who have supported Casey’s Cookies through donations, cookie purchases, prayer, and encouragement, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We simply couldn’t have come this far without you. Please pray for our employees to find new work opportunities, and please give us time to move on as well. This decision was one of the hardest we’ve ever had to make. Thanks for your understanding. -Lori and Barry Torman Read the Special Ingredients news story by John Cox that appeared in the December 3rd edition of the Tampa Bay Times. Now you can follow Casey's Cookies on Facebook! Become a fan and stay connected to Casey's Cookies from The Casey Project. See how we're changing the lives of disabled adults as we invest in our community. Find us on Twitter to follow Casey's Cookies from The Casey Project. Mentally disabled adults are as vulnerable as small children -- trusting far more than they should, and loving those who show even the slightest kindness. But, it’s difficult for them to find their place in society once they leave school. Learn how we are trying to make a difference in the lives of disabled adults... Our organization will be called The Casey Project, but our cookies will still be referred to as Casey's Cookies. They are the same wonderful cookies that you’ve come to know and love. Our name is changing, but our mission is the same. This change will enable us to broaden the range of activities for our disabled participants, and will hopefully allow us to serve an even larger population through training and employment. Learn how Casey's Cookies was created, plus tips and encouragement for parents of special needs children and other social entrepreneurs who would like to start a not-for-profit business that employs the disabled. Casey was born with Goldenhar Syndrome, a congenital birth defect that includes deformities of the face and spine, and in some cases mental retardation. Casey is the daughter of the couple that helped establish Casey's Cookies. Read More... St Petersburg's Northeast Journal featured Casey's Cookies on the cover of its November edition. Read the full story, reprinted courtesy of the Northeast Journal and Rob Baynard. Casey's Cookies on CNN Headline News Order With Confidence Casey's Cookies are prepared under the supervision of trained volunteers in a fully-licensed commercial kitchen located in Largo, Florida. Florida has strict rules governing food preparation. In addition to preparing the cookies in a state licensed commercial kitchen and having the necessary health permits, a certified food handler must be present, and all participants are required to be trained in proper sanitation practices. We further require all of our bakers to wear plastic gloves, and hats or hairnets. Learn More Get More Casey's Cookies Tampa Bay Lightning Community Hero Award Presentation CTN's Arthelene Rippy Visits The Casey Project Ernie Haase & Signature Sound Visits Casey's Cookies Casey's Cookies Interview with Sheli Sanders on Bayside St Pete Mayor Bill Foster Visits the Kitchen PBS SmartHealth Visits Casey's Cookies CNN Money Interview with Casey's Cookies Fox 13 News Visits the Casey's Cookies Kitchen at Christmas Bay News 9 Visits Casey's Cookies |