When Omari first called MACV, he had been living in his car for a year and a half. The Minnesota-born and raised Army Reserve Veteran had lost his job, expenses were piling up, and he was trying to find a way back to stable housing while missing time with his two young daughters.

MACV helped Omari move into transitional housing and later connected him with permanent housing through HUD-VASH. In April 2026, he moved into Veteran Village in Eagan, where having a place of his own has brought both stability and a new sense of community.

“I’m grateful to have stable housing,” Omari said. “This is the most community I’ve felt compared to anywhere else I’ve lived in Minnesota.”

With stable housing in place, Omari has been able to put more of his energy toward a business that began during a much more uncertain chapter of his life. While experiencing homelessness, baking became a source of joy and a way to feel connected to his daughters, Gabriella and Isabella. He began developing original cookie recipes at his mom’s house and, in January 2024, turned that passion into Gabella’s Cookies—a name inspired by his daughters.

Omari grew Gabella’s through pop-ups, the Richfield Farmers Market, and online orders while baking from a commercial kitchen in Minneapolis. In May 2026, the business reached another milestone when it opened its main storefront in the Market Hall at Twin Cities Premium Outlets in Eagan.

Today, Omari is focused on growing Gabella’s, expanding his small team and eventually opening additional locations. For him, the business is also about building something lasting for Gabriella and Isabella.

“It feels good to build a business and have it be successful for my daughters,” he said. “I’m grateful for MACV.”

Customers can support Gabella’s Cookies by visiting its storefront at Twin Cities Premium Outlets in Eagan or ordering online for Omari’s fresh-baked, original recipes and rotating flavors.