MATTHEWS, N.C. — A gourmet food company in Matthews is providing job opportunities to North Carolinians with disabilities.
At Bear Food, several people with disabilities help run the store. The business was created by Mac Brydon in 2018. He was inspired to employ people with disabilities because his brother, Miller, has Down syndrome.
“He had just graduated high school, and he wanted to have some transitional experience,” Brydon said.
Bear Food now partners with Rainbow Express Ministries, a local organization that connects people with disabilities with job opportunities in Matthews.
“One of our big things that we want to accomplish is working alongside different businesses and having our young adults learn job skills and how to have a job because at the end of the day, they’re at the stage of their life where it’s normal to have a job, and a lot of our guys really want to have a job,” said Cassidy Barker, an associate for Rainbow Express Ministries.
Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics found 75% of people with disabilities were not in the workforce in 2024, which means they were not employed nor looking for work.
At Bear Food, employees learn how to complete tasks and take on responsibilities.
“They help clean,” Brydon said. “They stock. They do things like labeling and packaging.”
“A lot of our guys work best with a job list,” Barker said. “They come into each of our businesses, and they’ll have a checklist that they’ll complete and are able to showcase their skills in these businesses.”
Working in the store also helps employees build confidence and make friends.
“I love working with my friends,” Hunter Adcock, a Bear Food employee, said. “They bring joy to me every time.”
“I love them,” Greyson Riehm, a Bear Food employee, added. “They’re like my family.”