Jobs for those with special needs
Sara Mae Pratt '12, founder of Puzzles Bakery & Cafe
When Sara Mae Pratt ’12 opened Schenectady’s Puzzles Bakery & Cafe in 2015, her primary goal was to hire people with special needs who otherwise struggle to find jobs. She knows from personal experience how difficult it is for people with developmental disabilities to find employment: her sister Emily has autism.
Today people with a developmental disability constitute more than 50 percent of Puzzle’s employees. For them, the job means more self-reliance. And for Pratt, offering them paths for personal growth, income, social interaction, and a sense purpose is the perfect recipe for satisfaction and fulfillment.
Listen to the Puzzles story on NPR: