Bridge Bread Bakery respects the dignity of our workers in several ways.
- Our hiring process accepts applicants that will be safe in our commercial kitchen, and we require nothing else. We only hire people who meet the Federal definition of homelessness. To ensure safety in the kitchen, we require that addictions and severe mental illness be verifiably under control. We accept people that have been convicted of criminal activity, as long as there is no history of violent crime. That’s it. We do not require any specific education or experience. We do not interview several candidates and select the one most likely to succeed. We hire the first person that meets our limited criteria and pledge to work with them to help them become the best Baker they can be.
- Our interview process starts with very brief introductions and then we tell the story of Bridge Bread Bakery. In the process, we reveal quite a bit of our own story, Then, we ask if the candidate would like to tell us their story. This is often the beginning of a trusting relationship.
- When a new Baker starts, they enter a kitchen where everyone also started when they were experiencing homelessness. We hope that the success of existing Bakers begins the journey of ‘Hope in the Baking.’
- A new Baker often starts their working day with a bag of flour, a tub of butter and a canister of sugar and ends it with beautiful baked goods – that they made with their own hands. They can see that they are able to do something really good – and that rebuilds confidence and inspires more hope.
- Between the hourly wage a Baker earns, attendance bonuses, and housing incentive pay, they earn a living wage, often more than $15/hour in all. Plus, our Bakers earn 15 days of paid time off (PTO) per year starting at six months.
