By Kristy Graver, Pittsburgh Magazine

It’s a dog day summer afternoon and Nathan Amorino, Joe Pawlowski and Amalia Insogna are busy making bark.

After shattering sheets of solid chocolate, they weigh the bite-sized pieces, bag and heat-seal the treats, then gleefully slap a Spectrum Fudge label on each package. It’s a simple job, but one that has an extraordinary impact on people with autism and other special needs. 

Nearly three years ago, Roger and Erin Haney opened the for-profit candy company with a mission: to create a workplace culture that is safe and inclusive.

The couple’s son, Jake, was diagnosed with autism at a young age. When he reached his teen years, they began fretting over unemployment rates (85% of adults with autism are jobless) and wondered what, if any, opportunities were available to folks on the spectrum. 

Despite extensive research, they couldn’t find many; so the Haneys cashed in a portion of their retirement fund to create more. 

Spectrum Fudge is located in a 3,000-square-foot building in Penn Hills. The sweet spot was previously occupied by a candy-maker so it was move-in ready for the new tenants. 

For more, visit https://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/spectrum-fudge-penn-hills/