Gist: A non-profit teaching female ex-offenders personal development and life skills, plus training in food safety, baking and running a business.
Who: Stephanie Wright and Tricia Sabatini, stay-at-home mothers who combined their expertise—social work and baking—says Sabatini, to “use our talents for good in the community.”
Started: Wright and Sabatini met through their children and became running buddies, completing four marathons together. Over many workouts, the two decided that after more than 10 years out of the workforce, they would start a business helping their Alexandria neighborhood.
Inspiration: A self-taught baker, Sabatini used to run a business out of her house. She taps two recipes from her repertoire—chocolate chip cookies and cinnamon pecan granola—to teach baking. The business component includes food safety certification, labeling, packaging, marketing and social media training. Treats are sold at the Alexandria Whole Foods, Del Ray Farmers Market, Market 2 Market and Cheesetique, among others.
Details: They found partners in Friends of Guest House, a non-profit housing and support system for ex-offenders, and Downtown Baptist Church, which provides rent-free space and a commercial-grade kitchen with a 20-rack oven. (They only use 10 racks at a time: cookies need air flow.)
Next: Wright and Sabatini are looking for more business partners, especially local businesses willing to employ graduates—71 women since January 2013—and finding more outlets to sell cookies and granola. /togetherwebake.org —Stefanie Gans
(December 2014)
