GDB Client Cooks Up Culinary Wonders
Tuesday August 08, 2023
![Carina confidently walks down a path with her yellow Lab guide dog](https://www.guidedogs.com/uploads/images/Blog/_840xAUTO_crop_center-center_none/Carina-walking.jpg)
After graduating from culinary school and earning an MBA, GDB client Carina Comer was eager to break into the fast-paced food industry. But the road to pursuing her dreams in the food industry wasn’t easy. "I tried applying for all sorts of positions. Whether it was an office position or assistant manager, and I kept getting nowhere,” says Carina. She even applied for a cashier position, but was of course, overqualified. “I kept meeting these barriers where someone would be excited about my experience and then the interview would be done, and I take my cane out and you could just feel all the air leave the room."
During that process, Carina trained with her first guide dog, Sutter, at GDB. "The partnership with my guide dog really gave me a sense of purpose and independence. Eventually, with the help of family and friends, Carina opened her own brick-and-mortar bakery, combining her passion for baking and her vegan lifestyle.
Today, Carina runs her bakery with her successor guide dog, Moby, by her side. And she provides jobs for people with disabilities. Her website describes her business as “A baking company inspiring the taste buds and nourishing souls in need of a chance.” Carina’s end goal? “That the shop helps other people like me to find a place that's accepting -- where people can feel at home and build confidence and skills in the process,” she explains, adding “I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to inspire others and create a welcoming space.”
Support more guide dog teams like Carina and Moby.
Learn about our guide dog program.