Together We Bake

The purpose of the program is to empower women facing barriers to employment to achieve long-term self-sufficiency, not in spite of the challenges in their past, but because of the strength they have gained by persevering through those difficulties. Program participants, called “Team Members,” gain workforce and soft skills that help them obtain and maintain employment. With the support of TWB staff members, Team Members learn and practice strategies that address chronic substance use and trauma histories, as well as mental health issues. By learning to manage these challenges, Team Members experience improved well-being and stability. The program goals are outlined below.

Goal: Increase the self-sufficiency of the TWB Team Members

Objectives

100% of Team Members will develop new and strengthen existing life skills through 8 hours of group attendance. Our empowerment and life skills curriculum provided significant skill development for Team Members. We assess this through a survey and group conversation at the end of the session.

100% of Team Members will improve their financial literacy through attending budget workshops through a partnership with The Motley Fool.

100% of Team Members will gain at least one new contact for their support system. TWB serves women who have a shared history of estranged and dysfunctional relationships. TWB’s empowerment groups provide the women a chance to recognize that there are other women facing similar challenges in life and in that shared experience, they find strength. Through addressing the impact trauma has on women and how to begin the healing process, the women start to trust again and develop strong bonds with their teammates.

Goal: Increase the financial stability of Alumni Team Members

Objectives
The median increase in monthly wages of graduates will reach $1000.00 or above within 6 months of graduation.

70% of Team Members will be placed in jobs within 3 months of graduation.

70% of Team Members will be in the same job after 6 months of being placed.

Goal: Increase the job-readiness of Team Members

Objectives

85% of Team Members will complete the training program and graduate. 85% of Team Members will participate in 15 hours of ServSafe Instruction.

85% of Team Members who take the ServSafe exam will receive a passing score.

Goal: Increase post-program support of Alumni Team Members

Objectives

90% of Alumni Team Members will not recidivate within 12 months of completion of TWB.

25% of Alumni Team Members living in the area will attend bi-monthly graduate dinners.

75% of Alumni Team Members will be contacted every month through Together We Bake staff.

Goal: Increase the employment opportunities for Alumni Team Members

Objectives

TWB will have 10 established Employer Partnerships by December 2020.

TWB's innovative job training and personal development program revolve around a small baking business. The holistic TWB program has seven components. An easy way to remember the components is using the acronym F.I.E.R.C.E.

Food Handling
Team Members learn about food safety and production skills. Team Members learn to create TWB products for sale including cookies, granola, dehydrated fruit, and vegetable chips and trail mix. Team Members learn in an industrial kitchen.

Income Management
TWB provides financial literacy services to Team Members through a partnership with The Motley Fool, a national financial-services. Team Members attend sessions to learn budgeting basics and how to address and reestablish credit.

Executive Leadership Skills
Team Members practice leadership skills by supporting the business aspects of TWB. Team Members learn to update the company’s website, package orders, conduct product inventory, develop marketing materials, create social media content and assist with sales and product delivery.

Recovery from Trauma and Behavioral Health Concerns
TWB staff facilitate personal wellness sessions based on the "Houses of Healing" curriculum. The curriculum includes facilitated discussions and activities that help members gain self-awareness, self-esteem, and accountability for their actions.

Certification
The ServSafe Food Protection Manager’s Certification Course is recognized by the National Restaurant Association’s Educational Foundation. Obtaining this certification makes TWB graduates more competitive for employment in the food industry compared to candidates without this certification.

Employment and Ongoing Support
Each Team Member is paired with a trained volunteer from the community who provides job counseling and assistance in finding employment. The volunteer Job Counselor and Team Member practice interview questions, identify appropriate job placements and complete online applications together. TWB also provides post-program support to alumni through twice-monthly organized group gatherings, phone calls, and social media posts to a private Facebook page.

Together We Bake was founded in 2012 to create pathways to self-sufficiency for women experiencing barriers to employment. Together We Bake’s mission is to provide a comprehensive workforce training and personal development program to help women gain self-confidence, transferable workforce skills, and invaluable hands-on experience which will allow them to find sustainable employment and move toward self-sufficiency. In the first year of operation, Together We Bake (TWB) piloted and launched a workforce training program that served 20 women. The organization steadily grew and in April 2015, TWB earned 501c3 status. In 2016, TWB acquired Fruitcycle; a successful business that turned “ugly” produce into healthy snacks. The integration of Fruitcycle expanded the product offerings and distribution channels for TWB products. In 2018, the organization expanded to better meet demand and began offering a fourth training cycle annually.

Since the organization’s inception, 189 women have graduated from the program. Eighty four percent of women who have started the program have graduated. Ninety percent of graduates have earned a national certification (ServSafe). Despite significant barriers to employment, 70% of all graduates were employed when surveyed in January 2020.

TWB has been recognized as an innovator due to the organization’s entrepreneurial design and quality outcomes. Senator Tim Kaine visited TWB to learn about the program’s impact on recidivism. TWB was included in The Catalogue for Philanthropy as “one of the best” small nonprofits and recognized by the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce as the "Best Non-Profit of the Year" in 2018. TWB has also been featured in news outlets including WUSA’s Great Day Washington, NBC 4's Sunday program, WJLA's Good Morning Washington, Comcast Newsmakers, and NPR.

TWB embarked on a Strategic Planning Process in Summer/Fall 2018 to map out the next three to five years of the organization’s growth and development. TWB board and staff assessed the current state of the organization and its external context, envisioned the future and developed key strategic goals and objectives. The priorities identified through the strategic planning process are as follows.

Focus Area: Grow Revenue Streams
Goal: Increase contributed funding and sustainable revenue, especially earned income.

Focus Area: Excel in Program Execution
Goal: Enhance program partnerships and recruitment, and explore program expansion and evaluation.

Focus Area: Enhance Post-Program Supports
Goal: Improve post-program services, including employment and education opportunities and extension services.

Focus Area: Expand Operational Capacity
Goal: Grow internal capacity through staff size, training, and effective use of volunteers.

Focus Area: Raise Awareness
Goal: Build TWB Street Credibility and raise awareness of pertinent issues at local and national levels.

Together We Bake is making progress toward each of these focus areas.

In 2020, Together We Bake (TWB) plans to recruit and train at least 50 women in need, along with
providing post-program support to at least 100 alumni Team Members. 2020 is another growth year for TWB
with a focus on deepening our program reach through piloting a Spanish speaking cohort and adding a Digital
Literacy component to the existing program.