Sweet Connections

Jana and Emily are passionate about children with special needs. Both ladies are veteran special education teachers. Jana is actively involved with Special Olympics and Project Unify, which seeks to foster peer to peer relationships between special education students and their non-disabled peers. Over the years Jana and Emily saw a need in the community for additional opportunities for special needs students to gain vocational experience outside of school, particularly in a setting that would also foster lasting relationships with their general education peers. Last year Emily's son Brodric, now almost 4, was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Brodric has moderately severe autism, and is still largely nonverbal. A professional realization about a need for vocational opportunities for students with disabilities quickly became a very personal realization.

Emily and Jana developed the concept of Sweet Connections, a nonprofit candy store that would employ students with special needs as well as students without special needs. Sweet Connections will be an all inclusive place in the community where families can gather to enjoy a sweet treat, play a game, and enjoy forming connections with members of the community. As a Special Olympics coach, Jana understands the power of pairing special education and general education students together so both can reach their full potential for success. As a parent, Emily understands what a need there  is for places in the community where it is relaxing to take both your special needs child and their siblings.

The goal for Sweet Connections is to begin operations out of the Farmer's Market this spring! Next year would involve an expansion to other area Farmer's Markets. The goal for year 3 is to have a brick and mortar store in downtown Kankakee.

Thank you for helping us reach our goal of providing more opportunities for students in our area!

Sincerely,
Jana and Emily