Bucks Co. Father Using Crafts To Inspire Those With Special Needs
BUCKS COUNTY, Pa. (CBS)--A Bucks County father's mission to help his son with autism turned into a thriving business with a greater purpose.
Mike Grant never imagined he'd be a professional crafter.
"I'm in [information technology]," he said. "I didn't know anything about sewing. I got a sewing machine and taught myself how to sew."
He did it for one very important reason, his 18-year-old son Dylan.
"For him to sit at a craft show and see people spending money on things that he helped make, that's really significant," Grant said. "Whether you're special needs or not, having someone willing to buy something that you worked on, that's the kind of job that anyone wants."
Grant and his wife Terri operate Crafters for Life out of their Bucks County home. Their company employs adults with special needs to design, hand-craft and sell a unique line of products, including coasters, keychains and sugar scrubs they sell at area craft shows. They even take custom orders.
What started at Council Rock High School North as a lesson plan for students with autism is now a full-fledged company with about a dozen part-time, paid employees.
Nicole Varano has worked at Crafters for about a year now.
"I love helping people and making these awesome products and I feel like it's fun to do," she said. "I absolutely love it."
Since starting at the company a few months ago, T.J. Fox has not only boosted sales, but also his confidence.
"I got to see myself better communicate with people and understanding people better instead of just sitting around being laid back," Fox said. "I got to get out and explore the world a little bit."
Eventually, Grant hopes to take the business out of his home and into an outside facility, where he can help even more people with special needs support themselves.
"You hear all of the stories of once you age out of high school at age 21 and you're sitting at home waiting for funding," he said. "That's a big fear, that's there's not going to be a constructive reason for Dylan to leave. The other is a good paying job. If we do either of them, we're successful. If we do both of them, slam dunk."
To find out more about Crafters for Life and its products, visit: http://craftersforlife.com/
