Collette Divitto, Woman With Down Syndrome, Starts Collettey's Cookie Business

Collette Divitto knows how to make a good cookie, and now the 26-year-old is learning how to run a business. Her company, Collettey’s, started after Divitto, who has Down syndrome, found it difficult to find a paying job.

“Many people who interviewed me for jobs said I was really nice but not a good fit for them,” Divitto told Upworthy. “It was really hurtful and I felt rejected a lot.”

With the help of her mom and her sister, Divitto landed her first recurring order, 100 cookies per week for Golden Goose Market. After Divitto’s story aired on CBS Boston, the Boston-native’s business has been booming, with more than 10,000 orders coming in from around the world. Now, due to expanding demand, Collettey’s has moved beyond Divitto’s kitchen and into Golden Goose Market’s industrial kitchen.

To help meet the demand for her chocolate chip cookies dipped in cinnamon, Divitto has turned to GoFundMe, with the hopes of raising almost half-a-million dollars so she can expand her business and hire others with disabilities.

“Do not give up,” Divitto told ABC News. “Live [your] dreams and keep on doing what you have to do.”