BISCUIT BEGINNINGS
Where every treat has a tail…and a story
Beer City Dog Biscuits is built around the unique abilities of every volunteer and employee, giving each person the chance to take part in all aspects of the business. From planning and baking to labeling, packing, and processing orders, and even identifying sales opportunities, calculating costs, and making bank deposits, our team does it all. With guidance from leadership volunteers, every step is designed for hands-on, project-based learning that builds work skills and valuable life skills.
And a community that said yes.
TWO FRIENDS, TWO SONS,
In 2018 Leslie Hooker and Suzanne Wilcox, lifelong friends, formed a nonprofit 501©3 on behalf of their adult sons, Tanis and Gavin.
2018
OUR GOAL
Is to provide them with an opportunity to be productive every day.
Because the main ingredient of BCDB is spent grains, Founders Brewing Company’s president, Dave Engbers, believed in our mission and donated the grains which continues to this day.
Founders Brewing
And believers
THE FIRST SHELVES
Peter C. and Emajean Cook Foundation trusted our mission and invested early in BCDB. Central Reformed Church provided an opportunity to use their kitchen so that we could bake our product.
We opened our doors to 17 “Brew Bakers” which included Ready for Life, a work skills program and a transition classroom, from the Kent Intermediate School System.
AUGUST 18TH, 2018
BCDB began ecommerce on the BCDB website. In 2020, Fifth Third Bank began buying sample bags for their customers in all 92 Michigan branches.
JANUARY 2020
More family.
MORE ROOMS. MORE HANDS.
In July of 2021, BCDB moved into Sunshine Community Church to accommodate more Brew Bakers due to our expanding footprint. By January 2022, we had over 100 Brew Bakers in our space.
We began our collaboration with Grand Valley University’s Occupational Therapy masters program.
SUMMER 2022
David’s House Ministries became our first satellite in 2023, and two others soon followed in 2024.
2023
FALL 2025
We introduced West Michigan Special Olympics as a satellite.
Brick by brick.
BUILDING THE FUTURE
In 2024, we increased our brew bakers to 300+ and began selling in 13 Meijer stores. Fast forward to 2026 and we’re in all 352 Meijer locations nationally.
To accomodate, educate and celebrate our remarkable Brew Bakers who are changing lives one biscuit at a time.
just beginning…
AND
WE BELIEVE
All people, regardless of their abilities, enrich our community.
Those with disabilities are essential; without their presence in our workplaces, neighborhoods, and places of worship, our community is incomplete! Our belief is rooted in the knowledge that every person—regardless of ability—is essential to God’s plan.