Correspondent photo / Kathryn Adams Cockeye Creamery in Canfield created a special flavor, banana cream pie, as its quarterly flavor for its Cockeye Cares program in which the creamery selects a local nonprofit each quarter and creates a specialty ice cream flavor in their honor. A portion of the proceeds from that flavor directly supports the organization. This quarter’s recipient is Gateways to Better Living, which serves more than 200 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Individuals from Gateways to Better Living enjoy their ice cream outside the Canfield location of Cockeye Creamery, which is headquartered in Warren.

CANFIELD — It was a beautiful spring day Friday for clients of Gateways to Better Living to visit Cockeye Creamery, Canfield’s newest ice cream shop.

The ice cream shop, located on the green and headquartered in Warren, features a variety of traditional flavors along with its newest flavor, banana cream pie, which was created and being sold to benefit Gateways.

The creamery is part of the Cockeye Cares program, a unique community partnership in which the creamery selects a local nonprofit each quarter and creates a specialty ice cream flavor in their honor. A portion of the proceeds from that flavor directly supports the organization.

Gateways to Better Living is a nonprofit organization that supports more than 200 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It provides residential to day program services, all centered around empowering the people they serve to reach their full potential and be active members of the community.

Approximately 40 individuals and a dozen staff from the Gateways Austintown location visited the creamery and received a dish of ice cream to enjoy. Gateways also has facilities in Boardman and Niles with a total of 13 residential homes that are considered intermediate care facilities, and 13 smaller waiver homes where residents can be more independent.

Kristie Murphy, who has been community engagement director for Gateways for the past 24 years, said, “We are incredibly grateful to be selected as a partner in the Cockeye Cares program. This initiative is such a fun and meaningful way to bring the community together while raising awareness and support for individuals with developmental disabilities.”

Emily Hoover of Warren and her brother own and operate the Canfield Cockeye Creamery as well as another location in Warren.

“We’re grateful to be here, it’s a great community and we’re happy to grow roots in Mahoning County.” Hoover said.

Leah Denny of Canfield works at the creamery and when asked if Canfield can use another ice cream shop, she says, “I love it here, I don’t think there’s a thing called too much ice cream.”

Why did Gateways to Better Living choose banana cream pie?

“We wanted something that felt fun, nostalgic, and widely loved – and banana cream pie really captures that. It’s a flavor that makes people smile, and that’s exactly what we’re all about at Gateways — creating joyful, meaningful experiences.”

Proceeds will go directly toward supporting programs and services for individuals with developmental disabilities, which includes community activities, skill-building opportunities and enhancing the quality of life for the people they serve.

The special flavor will be sold through the end of June.