A Birmingham small business giving back during the pandemic
A Birmingham small business giving back during the pandemic
>> YOU’RE WATCHING WVTM 13 NEWS. SHERI: SMALL BUSINESSES ARE HURTING DURING THE COVID-19 CRISIS, BUT THAT’S NOT STOPPING ONE OWNER FROM GIVING BACK TO THOSE IN NEED. GUY: BREA DOUGLAS EXPLAINS HOW THE PANDEMIC PRODUCED A COOKIE BUSINESS FOR ONE WOMAN AT A CRITICAL TIME. BREA: CALL KATHRYN YARBORUGH’S MACARON COOKIES A LABOR OF LOVE. >> YOU CAN STIR IT TOO MUCH OR YOU CAN STIR IT TOO LITTLE. IT HAS TO BE PERFECT. IT CAN TAKE ABOUT TWO HOURS. BREA: SHE’S BEEN PERFECTING THE ITALIAN TREAT SINCE THE START OF THE PANDEMIC, LEAVING A CAREER IN NON-PROFIT WORK TO START PATRICIA IRENE’S, A COOKIE BUSINESS NAMED AFTER HER GRANDMOTHERS. IT LAUNCHED WITH THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF A FRIEND. >> IT’S FUNNY HOW COVID HAS REALLY MADE MY CAREER PATH CHANGE INTO SOMETHING THAT I NEVER, EVER FELT THAT I WOULD DO. BREA: HER PASSION PROJECT IS NOW A FULL-TIME BUSINESS, USING THE PROCEEDS TO GIVE BACK MONTHLY TO A LOCAL CHARITY. HER LATEST CONTRIBUTIONS GOING TO THE VICTIMS OF THE FULTONDALE TORNADO, AND GIVING COOKIES, SOCIALLY DISTANCED, TO NURSING HOMES. >> I WANT THEM TO SEE THE COLORS AND JUST SPARK A LITTLE JOY IN A TIME WHEN EVERYBODY IS GOING A LITTLE STIR CRAZY FROM COVID. BREA: EVEN THOUGH IT’S A TOUGH TIME FOR SMALL BUSINESSES, YARBOROUGH STILL WANTS TO GIVE BACK. AS SOMEONE WHO SPENT YEARS WORKING IN THE NON-PROFIT WORLD, SHE’S NOW HELPING OTHERS IN A DIFFERENT WAY. >> I ALWAYS HAD THAT IN MY HEAD. THAT WAS WHAT MY CAREER WAS GOING TO BE, IN SOME SHAPE OR FASHION. I WAS GOING TO HELP PEOPLE AND I WAS GOING TO GIVE BACK. BREA: ONE OF LIFE’S RECIPES SHE’S PASSING DOWN TO HER OWN CHILDREN, ONE COOKIE AT A TIME. BREA DOUGLAS, WVTM 13. SHERI: AND SHE HOPES HER BUSINESS GROWS SO SHE CAN EVENTUALLY OPEN UP A PLACE
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A Birmingham small business giving back during the pandemic
It's a tough time for small businesses during the COVID-19 crisis, but that's not stopping Patricia Irene's in Birmingham. Watch the video above to learn more.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. —
It's a tough time for small businesses during the COVID-19 crisis, but that's not stopping Patricia Irene's in Birmingham. Watch the video above to learn more.
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