BAKE BLUE BAKERY MARKS AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH IN APRIL WITH BLUE PUZZLE PIECE COOKIE DEBUT AND A MISSION OF BELONGING
Mother-Son Bakery in Spanish Fort
Platforms Purpose, Employment Opportunity, and Community for Adults with Disabilities
Spanish Fort, Ala. (March 10, 2026) — In recognition of April’s Autism Awareness Month, Bake Blue Bakery is sharing the story behind its growing business: creating homemade baked goods while building a future where adults with disabilities can find employment opportunity, connection, and room to thrive. The month includes World Autism Awareness Day on April 2, a time that brings added focus to understanding and
support. To mark this important recognition, Bake Blue will debut a specially-created cookie — the Blue Puzzle Piece — as a tribute to autism awareness and the mission of the bakery, available exclusively during the month of April. (photo: Puzzle Piece Sugar Cookies with Buttercream Frosting)
Founded by Debra Pennington and her son Reed Pennington, Bake Blue Bakery launched in August 2025 in Spanish Fort under a cottage license. What started in a home kitchen has grown into a bigger vision: a storefront bakery that serves the community while creating pathways for adults with disabilities to work, grow, and shine.
The name Bake Blue carries special meaning. Blue represents autism awareness, while the bakery’s symbol — the great blue heron — reflects patience, resilience, wisdom, and strength.
“Bake Blue is about more than baking,” said Debra Pennington, co-founder of Bake Blue Bakery. “It is about helping people discover what they are good at, giving them a place to belong, and creating space to grow. Our plan is to build a storefront very soon where families can gather and where adults with disabilities can find steady work and community.”
For Reed, the bakery is personal. Diagnosed with high-functioning autism at age 12, he worked a number of jobs after high school and learned firsthand how difficult it can be for autistic adults to find the right fit. Together, he and Debra decided to build something of their own — something lasting, welcoming, and purpose-driven.
“No matter how you are born or how disabled a person can be, you have a purpose in life. Choose the right path and be who you are meant to be,” said Reed.
Bake Blue Bakery continues to expand its offerings while finalizing plans for the opening of a storefront bakery in late Spring that serves as both a business and a place of belonging for families and individuals across the community.