VALRICO, Fla. — The owner of Sweetie’s Delights Bakery in Valrico has hired two people with disabilities and said they’ve turned out to be some of her best employees.

“Give them a chance,” said owner Kathy Gramlich, 54. “You will be pleasantly surprised.”

What You Need To Know

  • October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month 

  • Sweetie’s Delights Bakery hired two people with disabilities through employU

  • employU helped more than 3,500 disabled people find and maintain employment last year

  • Owner said her disabled workers have been some of her best employees

Gramlich said the first disabled worker she hired was Hannah Clor, 20, about one year ago. Clor applied through employU, a nonprofit agency which helps people with disabilities find and maintain employment.

“She focuses and everything is consistent. It’s perfect,” said Gramlich. “She’s always in a good mood.”

Clor said she’s autistic and spent eight months applying for jobs before being hired at the bakery.

“People would see on my application, ‘Oh, autistic. No thanks,’ and it can be a real struggle,” she said. “You can feel like no one’s going to hire me, but there are people out there who do understand and care.”

Clor said Gramlich is one of those people and supports her when she gets overwhelmed at work.

“I’ll need to sit in the back for a while or even in certain cases I’ll have to go home,” she said. “Sometimes people take issue with that, but here it’s not an issue.”

Alicia Ackley, 29, is the second disabled worker Graham recently hired. Ackley said she was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, which makes it hard for her to work in loud places.

“In here, it’s nice and quiet. We’ve got a little music going,” she said. “I love it. This is probably the best place I’ve ever worked.”

Ackley said she also feels accepted by her fellow employees and the owner.

“I’ll be talking to myself and she (Hannah) goes, ‘Alicia is talking to the cupcakes,’” she said. “It’s a lot more inviting over here.”

Ackley and Clor have been celebrating their sweet success for National Disability Employment Awareness Month, which takes place in October. Marci VanRiper, an employment specialist with employU, said more businesses should consider hiring people with disabilities.

“Take the opportunity, take the chance, it’s truly amazing what you’ll find out,” she said. “Everybody has got different abilities. So, everybody has got something different to bring to the table. Which is special and these guys and gals end up being your best employees.”

employU helped more than 3,500 disabled people find jobs last year.