Salsa Sales to Benefit Special Needs Students
Fredericksburg, Texas, May 21, 2012—LIFE Community Classroom partnered with Fischer & Wieser (www.jelly.com) to take their special needs students’ salsa to the next level by producing at no cost to them. Fisher & Wieser did more than provide a manufacturing site and give all proceeds to the school, they also educated the entrepreneurial students throughout the process with teacher support. Together students with intellectual disabilities learn to become members of the community--which is LIFE Community Classroom’s mission.
LIFE Community Classroom Traditional Life Salsa was developed to raise funds and awareness for the school--while doing what their students love to do: cook! Each batch of Life Salsa consistently sold-out, and was such a success, soon demand greatly surpassed supply. LIFE Community Classroom soon contacted Fischer & Wieser to help the students make more of their successful passion product.
LIFE Community Classroom founder and Executive Director Angel Wiggins knew that they had created a huge opportunity for themselves, but needed serious help capitalizing on it. Wiggins found her answer when reading her local paper. An article on Fischer & Wieser company executives preserving historic pine trees at their manufacturing headquarters showed Wiggins’ the company’s heart, “You could just tell that these were good people who cared!”
Wiggins set up a meeting with COO, Jenny Wieser and CEO and President, Case D. Fischer, to propose a collaboration. Wiggins was overjoyed with the immediate and emphatic, “YES!”
Jenny Wieser shared, “We are delighted! To be able to empower the ambitious students of LIFE Community Classroom, and the teachers, Angel [Wiggins] and Terri [Mund] to reach their potential is amazing! Both teachers have such a dedication to their students and a passion for their community. We love helping people achieve their goals!”
“We’re honored,” said Wiggins, in regards to Fischer & Wieser’s partnership and all proceeds are completely, “Out of their hearts.” LIFE Community Classroom is a privately funded 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to providing quality, applicable social, academic, communicative, and life skills to individuals with intellectual disabilities and/or special needs. Cooking is one of the many applicable skills that the school teaches it students, preparing them to become self-sufficient members of society. The school maintains a low student/teacher ratio and offers community based instruction as an alternative to a public school setting. “Small in number, but mighty in purpose,” Wiggins said of the four students currently enrolled. “For the four families we serve, their lives are changed,” the children have purpose, are driven and better-behaved after being introduced to cooking and other important aptitudes.
The students are elated about the success of their Traditional Salsa. Fischer & Wieser upheld the fact that this is the students’ product and therefore included their voice during product development. For the logo, the Fischer & Wieser design team created several options for the students to vote on; they selected the ultimate logo above- an image of a cactus heart with a Texas flower adorning the top right corner.
“We have visited with all the students,” says Ms. Wieser, “They came to our facility every time that we met with Wiggins and Mund. That is part of the life skills she is teaching them, they go everywhere with her. They are all great people and are very enthusiastic about the project.”
The LIFE Community Classroom Traditional Salsa is available now throughout Texas Hill Country at:
. Fischer & Wieser on Main
. Fischer & Wieser Das Peach Haus
. The Shops on Llano
. Woerner Feed Store
. Smitten
. Sugar and Smoke
This will be the 10th salsa produced by Fischer & Wieser, each boasting a myriad of flavors that can inspire any meal.
Available online and at specialty food stores nationwide, Fischer & Wieser nine standard salsas have an SRP of $6.95, and come in the following varieties:
