GoodWorks Band & Baker’s Treat Create Music Video to Raise Awareness of Disabilities Like Autism
New Jersey rock and soul band GoodWorks has teamed with Baker’s Treat Café to produce and record a music video to raise awareness about the contributions of people with developmental disabilities, like autism. GoodWorks performed and videotaped the original song with “differently-abled” Baker’s Treat employees using kitchen utensils as percussion instruments, inspired by Jimmy Fallon videos featuring remakes of hit songs with grade-school musical instruments. The video is on YouTube at https://youtu.be/BqsbRH62v_0.
The lyrics to the song, titled Baker’s Treat, include the café’s slogan, “Eat good, feel good, for good” and reinforce the message of inclusion for developmentally-disabled people. GoodWorks and Baker’s Treat posted the video to YouTube to make it available to a larger audience. The band plans to produce more original songs and music videos to raise awareness and funds for other nonprofits.
“GoodWorks believes in the good work that Baker’s Treat is doing with differently-abled teens and young adults, and the song conveys that they are smart, social, fun people, more like us than different,” said GoodWorks band founder Paul Lavenhar, who also wrote the song for Baker’s Treat. “Music is a great way for nonprofits to be heard, and we hope to offer our signature brand of good works to other great causes.”
The award-winning Baker’s Treat is operated by Ability2Work, a non-profit organization that champions a supportive, inclusive employment environment for the differently-abled. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, less than four percent of developmentally-disabled adults have jobs, and only 50 percent of those will have that same job a year later.
“We believe that everyone is entitled to contribute to their community and Baker’s Treat gives the differently-abled a place where they can have a rewarding job and be appreciated for their contributions,” said Karen Monroy, Ph.D., CEO of Ability2Work. “Our slogan is, ‘Eat good, feel good, for good’ and GoodWorks is helping us deliver that message through song.’”
About Baker’s Treat
Baker’s Treat partnered with Ability2Work in 2013 to train and employ the differently-abled, and assist them in equal access to jobs in their own communities. Baker’s Treat uses its resources to teach individual skills such as baking, cooking, customer service and individual life skills such as nutrition, communication, exercise, reading/writing, responsibility and self-awareness. The organization is self-funded and is staffed by a constant stream of volunteers that includes high school students, clubs, religious groups, parents, teachers and retirees. Ability2Work provides a supportive and inclusive job sampling, job training, and employment environment to the differently-abled. One hundred percent of the proceeds support the differently-abled at Baker’s Treat. For more information, visit www.bakerstreat.com.
