A Noblesville nonprofit is providing life-changing opportunities for adults with autism and disabilities.
BeeFree Bakes Org, which provides paid job training for adults with autism and other disabilities, operates a 10-week Warriors at Work workforce training program that prepares participants for employment through hands-on instruction and real-world environments.
The organization celebrated the graduation of its two winter session participants Jan. 15 during a ceremony at Noblesville City Hall. BeeFree Bakes Org founder Jennifer Wiese said the graduation marks a milestone for the organization, which has supported 53 adults in earning their first paychecks in the last three years.
“This ceremony represents far more than a certificate,” Wiese said. “For our graduates, this is the first time they’ve experienced what work life can look like — responsibility, routine, purpose and the balance that meaningful employment brings to daily life.”
The training program meets three days a week four four hours, with each day focused on a different industry. Participants learn skills such as clocking in and time management; food service and commercial kitchen work; warehousing and fulfillment operations; customer service and communication; and safety practices, point of sale systems and industry certifications.
Wiese said participants are part of a population facing 85 percent unemployment or underemployment.
“The young adults that come into our program typically have never worked before — some because they’re just exiting school and some because maybe their anxiety and fear is so high that it’s held them back,” Wiese said.
Wiese said training is conducted in community settings and designed to meet employer expectations, helping participants transition confidently into the workforce. BeeFree Bakes Org partners with a range of employers and organizations, including Costco; Meijer; Grace Care Center; Invest Hamilton County; Hamilton County Tourism; and the Hamilton County Community Foundation, among others.
“By equipping our trainees with a variety of skill sets, it makes them more versatile,” Wiese said. “You might think you want to work in a warehouse, or you might think you want to work in a hotel or in food service, but your impression and your ideas of what it might be like sometimes don’t match. Giving exposure to a variety of things equips a well-rounded potential employee.”
Wiese has a son who is on the autism spectrum. She said his journey inspired her to start the workforce training program.
“When he was looking at getting his first job, we got a front row seat at some of the additional challenges that exist for people with disabilities,” Wiese said. “We realized that we could be part of that solution. That was really the heartbeat of it — just seeing a need that wasn’t being met and finding a solution for it.”
The program has benefited several participants, including Hamilton County resident Bree Boyer, who participated in June 2025. She said Warriors at Work prepared her for her job at Big Apple Bagels.
“The program helped me gain confidence and also learn about food safety, fire safety and stuff to do and not to do (in certain) situations,” Boyer said. “I got a job at Big Apple Bagels, and they loved my resume. BeeFree changed my life, and I’m very happy I worked with them.”
Open enrollment is underway for the next Warriors at Work 10-week training session, anticipated to start at the end of February or in early March. Interested individuals can apply for remaining openings or connect with the organization to be placed in a future session.
For more, visit BeeFreeBakes.org.
Looking ahead
BeeFree Bakes Org founder Jennifer Wiese expects to double the organization’s impact this year, with plans to expand services across the north side of Indianapolis and Hamilton County to reach more individuals and families seeking employment opportunities.
“Growth is always so exciting for us, and a big part of why we’re able to grow is because our community is so supportive, starting with the City of Noblesville and the mayor’s office,” Wiese said. “And we have some community partners as well that have come alongside us and helped support us financially and in other ways as well.”
The organization has a mobile lemonade truck that will be at several events throughout the year in Noblesville and surrounding communities.
“That will be such a great exposure for us — not only for our training program, but it will allow us to employ a lot more people on a year-round basis as well,” Wiese said. “We’re also going to have a permanent location at Grand Park in Westfield for the city’s summer events. We are excited to continue to let people know who we are, what we have to offer and to expand the amount of jobs that we’re able to offer throughout the year.”