This is a story about marshmallows, but a fluff piece it is not.
It is the story about a simple idea cooked up in a Chicago area kitchen, which became a recipe not only for business success, but for inclusion for people with disabilities.
Lissa Levy of Skokie is a food stylist, presenting food for video, photography, and marketing. She was also recently elected as a Skokie village trustee. And some years back, Levy started up a side hustle in the form of Elle’s Marshmallows — which makes gourmet artisan marshmallows inspired by a variety of culinary traditions.
The array of tantalizing flavors include honey rosemary, Irish cream, coconut, spiked hazelnut, and Hawaiian coffee — among many others. Her spiked infusions steadily grew until business reached a boiling point.
“I had a whole section of my basement that was all dedicated to marshmallow equipment storage,” said Levy. “So every time I cooked, I’d be running equipment up and down the stairs.”
Meanwhile, a local organization had some needs of its own. The Skokie nonprofit Shore Community Services is committed to inclusive living for people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities — and serves 20 communities, including Skokie, Evanston, Morton Grove, and Chicago’s North Side.
Shore sometimes has a tough time finding employment for its clients.
“It’s gotten easier in that I think more people are aware of people with disabilities,” said Shore vocational services chief Anni Braverman. “Sometimes it’s harder, because more and more jobs want people to be able to do everything.”
Someone at Shore whipped up a solution about six months ago — the organization would offer a food entrepreneur free use of its kitchen. In exchange, the small business owner would hire Shore clients.
Levy was that entrepreneur, and Elle’s Marshmallows was that small business.
Janie Walcoff, a Shore client, gets $15 an hour to package up Elle’s Marshmallows. When asked what her favorite part about the job was, Walcoff said, “Money.”
Walcoff’s beauty work is seen by more customers than ever before.
“This is actually my first year selling at Skokie Farmers’ Market,” Levy said.
Levy said expanding had been difficult, if not impossible, for Elle’s Marshmallows — because food safety rules limited what she could make and sell from her home.
The much bigger space at Shore where Levy and Walcoff now work together is a commercial-grade kitchen. That designation matters.
“It allows me to sell to other businesses,” Levy said. “It allows me to sell across state lines.”
Sales have easily quadrupled, Levy said.
“I really couldn’t have asked for a better situation,” she said.
Neither could Walcoff. She says the difference between her last job bagging groceries and her current one with Elle’s Marshmallows is night and day.
They both get a lot out of the moments they share together, in what amounts to a sweet win-win scenario.
“It’s just joyful!” Levy said.
Shore is looking for more small business owners to trade jobs for kitchen space. The nonprofit is also busy renovating a job training center in Morton Grove that helps people with disabilities prepare for employment.
