Surpassing the six-year mark for any new business in a small town is a reason to celebrate. But Margaret Cortes has made celebration part of every day at Special Kneads Bakery where she sells delicious rye bread and an array of mouth-watering pastries.
She also sees that her son, Frankie, has a role in the bakery’s operations.
“He has come such a long way since we began this venture. Aside from serving customers and keeping the shelves stocked, he’s learning how to make change and wrap orders,” said Cortes.
Frankie, the youngest of Cortes’ four sons, had a difficult birth that left him with cerebral palsy and other intellectual and physical disabilities.
Cortes moved her family here from Chicago in 2003 and has a background in healthcare and customer service. She knew that there were few opportunities for jobs for young men and women like Frankie and wanted to create an environment that would allow for training, work experience and socialization, all tailored to their specific abilities. She felt that a bakery could do just that.
News about her venture quickly spread. Young adults with special needs from nine surrounding counties including the Quad Cities have visited the bakery to share special treats and to hear Frankie share his experiences. The Kewanee High School Life Skills class visits frequently and provides a large supply of handmade greeting cards for sale.
“My goal is to have enough business to offer employment to young men and women like Frankie,” said Cortes. “It can be scary when you finish school and go out into the world, but most especially if you are handicapped.”
Her biggest challenge is financial, and she’s hoping her business will grow enough to hire some of these young people as staff. One of the things she is doing is starting a way for customers to order and receive her baked goods by mail.
“This should allow us to grow and open up jobs for others like Frankie. It will create wonderful work opportunities,” she said.
Several years ago, Cortes and her son were guests on Good Morning America. They told their story on national television and received a warm welcome from the hosts and the audience. In addition to the media appearance, they were gifted a fully-loaded golf cart to help with transportation to and from the bakery and deliveries when needed.
“Getting the cart was a wonderful surprise,” said Cortes. And the notoriety boosted our popularity on Facebook. “We now have over 9,000 followers and received cards and letters from viewers all around the country.”
Willing and energetic, Frankie works other jobs in addition to Special Kneads. He also has a job at a lawyer’s office where one of his tasks is operating the paper shredder. A local restaurant also employs him to help keep tables clear and the flooring clean.
“He really enjoys these different job opportunities and realizes how lucky he is to have them,” said Cortes.
Frankie is also a member of the Galva Rotary Club, the Galva Arts Council and the Kiwanis Club. He’s taken part in the Galva Rotary Corp Club at the Kewanee Life Skills Re-Entry Center, where he’s attended several meetings and shared his story with the men there. These men often stop into the bakery to visit when they are on work detail in Galva.
“Never had I envisioned knowing such men as part of our journey,” she said. “Some of their families and those who have been released keep in touch with us, which adds an extra layer of success to our purpose.”
Last winter, money for a much-needed furnace was raised by a GoFundMe campaign started by Nicole and Jeremy Painter. Nicole added the following to the GoFundMe request: “Special Kneads Bakery is opening so many opportunities for our daughter and her friends in our rural communities. The vision Margaret Cortes has for this safe haven is truly a God Sent. She wants this to be a place for all to be accepted, loved, and valued. She wants to be able to give those with unique challenges a chance to excel and be as independent as possible.”
All of Cortes’ sons live in the area, she said, which makes for large family gatherings.
“We’ve been blessed with three grandchildren,” says Cortes. “It’s quite a house full when everyone visits.”
Special Kneads Bakery is located at 326 Front St. in Galva and is open Wednesdays 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., and Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays 7 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Cortes also provides a variety of items at the Sunday Levitt AMP concerts and offers catering for groups and organizations. You can reach her through the bakery’s Facebook page or by phoning (309) 540-8753.
