When looking at a map of the United States, Trevor Dealy of Paso Robles has placed a star on all 50 states—each sticker representing where he has sold his handcrafted soap to.
“It’s just remarkable. It’s life changing for Trevor, and for me as his mom, and as an advocate for individuals with disabilities,” Trevor’s mom, Tia Dealy, said. “Can we open doors, and can we inspire others to think outside of the box and find a path forward that has meaning and quality of life attached to it?”
Trevor was born 24 years ago at 26 weeks and 1.7 pounds, and he spent 101 days in the hospital before being released to his parents. Tia said he wasn’t expected to survive, let alone have a high quality of life.
“The doctors said he would never have any cognitive ability, never be able to walk or talk, he would be in a wheelchair and probably have tubes to be fed and all of that kind of stuff,” she said. “I just thought, ‘I don’t know what he’s going to do or not do, and I’m not going to limit him.'”
Fast forward more than 20 years, and Trevor owns his own business called Trev’s Trades where he makes and sells soap throughout the country.
After years of therapy and trying out the school system, Tia said Trevor wasn’t adapting to public school. As a teacher herself, she started homeschooling him and implementing project-based learning—hands-on, kinesthetic activities—that eventually tied in language arts and math.
“I had just ordered all of these kits, and one of them happened to be a soap-making kit, and we did it, and Trevor was completely fascinated and loved it.”
The two started watching YouTube videos and looked for recipes, which helped with Trevor’s penmanship and writing.
Even today, the business serves as project-based learning for Trevor, teaching him to clock in and out of work and save money—divided into household expenses, savings, and personal spending.
Tia said that experiences like this are rare for those with disabilities and that only about 20 percent of disabled people can find and keep employment. If anything, Tia hopes Trev’s Trades serves as a beacon of hope that these statistics can change.
“It’s just dismal for our people with disabilities to find employment, and employment that they like and can grow in is really a challenge, and I think that that’s another part of Trev’s Trades’ missions, is to just say we have value,” she said. “We can offer to the community, we can contribute to the community, and we can provide and be a productive member of the community from an employment perspective, and I think that’s really huge, too.”
And while Trev’s Trades helps Trevor to excel in life, he returns that favor to his community.
In March, Trevor launched a fundraiser to support the North County Adaptive Sports and Recreation Program where he donated a portion of proceeds from its sales to help outfit athletes with new Bulldog hats and uniforms.
Through his “Adopt a Bulldog” program, Trevor would make soap bundles for those who donated to the cause. His goal was to fundraise $500. He raised $1,700.
“I want him to be able to understand what it means to set a goal and work towards achieving that goal, and then also give back to the community that has wonderful programs and things for him,” Tia said. “And so that’s an important part of the mission and philosophy is that we find ways to give back.”
Trevor’s next project is to donate soap to the local women’s shelter, where he can further learn what it’s like to help and support other people, his mom said.
“You know that a little bar soap can create this sense of accomplishment and this sense of ownership of something that is completely his,” she said. “My mom heart just explodes when I think about this because I think when we have kids with complex disabilities, we worry so much and we fret about the future and the what ifs and what’s going to happen next, and to see him as a young entrepreneur, being able to reach other people and for them to respond to him, has been really the best and the most wonderful thing that we’ve experienced.”
Fast fact
• Local chef Nicola Allegretta of Mistura and Mama’s Meatball is in the running for the nationwide 2025 Favorite Chef competition. The grand prize winner will be featured in Taste of Home magazine and receive an exclusive cooking experience with celebrity chef Carla Hall and a cash prize of $25,000, which Allegretta plans to donate to the nonprofit group Charity: Water. Voting starts May 23. To vote visit: favchef.com/2025/nicola-allegretta. Δ
Reach Staff Writer Libbey Hanson at lhanson@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Summer Guide 2025.