Good Dog! Biscuits and Treats is the first entrepreneurial project developed by and for guests of the Lawrence Community Shelter. Shelter guests mix, bake, package, and distribute several varieties of gourmet dog biscuits each week at the Farmer's Market in Downtown Lawrence, as well as through area churches and businesses. Employees of Good Dog! Biscuits & Treats earn a wage for their work, as well as valuable business knowledge.
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Early Wednesday mornings, Rob, William, and Kelli gather at the L.I.N.K. (Lawrence Interdenominational Nutrition Kitchen) to mix, bake, and package Good Dog! Biscuits & Treats. Three recipes have grown to six; black & white labels are now full color; a designer is working on a new logo; keeping up with orders is beginning to be a problem – all delightful outcomes to our humble beginnings.
At the Lawrence Farmer's Market dozens of dogs make a beeline to our stall – sometimes with their owners in tow! It's quite comical to be the only booth at the market where a lost dog can be found. Samples are given to all four legged creatures.
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With a 2006 grant from the Catholic Campaign for Human
Development (CCHD) a business plan was developed to initiate a small
entrepreneurial project we call The Joseph Project, to be planned by and to employee people
experiencing homelessness. A shelter staff member offered to let the project
use her pilot business (making gourmet dog biscuits) as a test area for
training and employing homeless people using the services of the
Lawrence Community Shelter (LCS). The success of the 2006 sales season
at the Lawrence Farmer's Market led to adding a shelter guest to the
staff to seek other outlets for distribution of Good Dog! Biscuits
& Treats. They are now available at local fairs, St John's Catholic
Church (call for dates), Corpus Christi Catholic Church (call for
dates), a local whole foods store and the Lawrence Humane Society. The 2008 season is proving to be an exciting one with sales exceeding expectations.
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To get more information or to purchase Good Dog! Biscuits & Treats for your favorite four-legged friend, visit us at the Farmer's Market in Downtown Lawrence or call (785) 832-8864. Online ordering will be available soon through this site.
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