Rebecca Flieg built a snack cart so her 15-year-old daughter would have somewhere to work.

Selah Flieg has an intellectual and developmental disability. She's outgoing, social, and was already handing out promotional flyers in the community before the cart's May 23 debut at the Wildwood Farmers Market. But her mom saw a future narrowing: fewer friendships after school ends, limited job prospects, growing isolation.

"The older she gets, the bleaker the future options look for her," Flieg told West Newsmagazine.

So the Eureka-area family launched Selah's Snack Cart, which Flieg describes as a nonprofit pilot. The concept is what disability employment specialists call "customized employment," where the work environment is built around a person's abilities rather than forcing them into an existing role. The cart uses a no-bake, no-fry, no-grill menu so workers with disabilities can prepare food with maximum independence. Tasks include assembling snacks, greeting customers, and labeling packages.

The menu changes weekly. Chef Gary Suarez, formerly executive chef at Cardwell's in Clayton, developed items including onigiri (Japanese rice balls) and salad in a jar.

Flieg said the idea grew from a difficult summer when Selah was 13 and felt deeply isolated. Daily walks to a nearby Eureka coffee shop, where Selah connected with a familiar face behind the counter, became the model for what the cart could offer: routine, community, belonging.

The need extends well beyond one family. Federal data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows just 22.8 percent of people with disabilities were employed in 2025, compared to 65.2 percent of those without. For teens ages 16 to 19 with disabilities, the unemployment rate was 25.6 percent, nearly double the 13.5 percent rate for peers without disabilities.

Flieg is building partnerships with local organizations including Best Buddies, which has active chapters at Geggie Elementary, LaSalle Springs Middle, and Eureka High in the Rockwood school district. Her longer-term vision includes a brick-and-mortar restaurant called Loving Cup and a directory connecting parent-founded businesses that employ people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, what she calls an "IDD Chamber of Commerce."

The City of Wildwood promoted the launch on its official Facebook page. The cart returned to the market on May 31 and advertised new menu items, cold brew, and merchandise.

The Wildwood Farmers Market runs Saturdays, 8 a.m. to noon, at 221 Plaza Drive through October 3.