Trinity Barkery non-profit continues to grow

WILMINGTON, Ill. (WLS) -- Trinity Barkery is a division of Trinity Services, a non-profit organization for people with disabilities.

The Barkery started 10 years ago with two employees. There are now 10 with a goal of expanding.

Trinity Barkery is located in the far south suburb of Wilmington.

"We have a full line of every season, (we have) cookies, we have bagged treats, we do birthday cakes," said Shirley Lewis, manager and brainchild behind the Barkery. "We do wholesale accounts, we have distributors that sell our products."

"I had a background in the baking business, so it was just something to keep my group busy," Lewis said. "We made them one day, figuring everybody had a neighbor or family member or someone that might have a dog. So we thought it was something that someone would have something to give them, and it turned out be a business."

They moved into their building in Wilmington two years ago, where they make and sell all the items. All of the employees are part of Trinity Services.

"They have to be able to do every job here," Lewis said.

Michele Wieringa is 39-years-old. She has been here for four years.

"I love it," Wieringa said. "I pick the bones, I do the dipping and I help do the boxing of the bones in the boxes."

Ruth Rimeik, 55, started two months ago.

"I run this machine and it cuts the shape of the dog in the dough, and then I pick up here, and then Kathy puts them on the tray," Rimeik said.

"Our cookies are all natural, no preservatives, we only carry that type of product in our store," Lewis said. "Even the dog food is high-end, it's all-natural."

"We're starting to see a profit, we've doubled what our projected is going to be already," Lewis said.

Since business is good, they want to grow.

"I would love to see 50 people be employed if we had the facility to do that, because there's so many needs out there," Lewis said.