Matt & Sheri Salis in Denver, CO, have created an annual event to raise some dough for students in the Denver Public School System experiencing homelessness. Not only do 100% of the sales dollars (not the profit – 100% of every dollar taken in) support this cause, but also students from local elementary schools volunteer to help. Students bake and sell bread to raise some dough for the Denver Public School’s Educational Outreach Program which helps provide food, clothing, transportation, and other essentials for the homeless students.
In addition to the bakery owners and student volunteers, the employees of the bread company eagerly give up their day off and work without pay to help make this fundraiser a success. Says Michelle Higgins, bakery production manage, “Just tell me where you need me and when, and I will be there.” Michelle and the rest of the Great harvest crew share a love of kids and a desire to make a difference in our community. “This is a big part of what Great Harvest is all about!!”
Customers also have the option to buy bread and donate it back to the Educational Outreach Program. This brings a tangible and immediate benefit to the homeless students. Donated bread is distributed to the students in Denver’s homeless shelters.
This year, the Salis’ raised $5800 and hundred of loaves went to the shelters. Their Whole Grains for Growing Brains event is a shining example of the community spirit alive and active in Denver.
Jacque Sanchez (Spokane, Washington) believes in hands-on helping. That's why she welcomed three boys from the Morning Star Boys Ranch, a home for troubled youth, into her home and Great Harvest business. When they visit her home, they are treated like family members. At her business, they learn how to run a service-oriented company.
Jacque leads by example. She has a long list of volunteer activities and is known for donating baked goods to the Spokane Food Bank, the Ogden House, and numerous school fundraisers. Jacque recently won Spokane's C. Michael Archer Community Service Award for her efforts.
Why does Jacque spend so much of her time offering neighborhood support? "I want to teach my own children how they can make a difference in this world – even if it's just one loaf at a time. As a parent, I have a responsibility to show my kids how to give to others who are less fortunate. Even if you think you are so badly off that you don't have anything to give, you can always give someone your time."
Non-profit organizations in Anchorage, Alaska, have enjoyed Barb Hood's and Dirk Sisson's donations of their scrumptious bread. For years, their Great Harvest Bread Co. has provided gift baskets filled with their breads for silent auction fundraisers for local charitable organizations. A generous "Bread Basket for a Year" auction donation helped a local homeless family get into housing, set up care assistance, and search for permanent jobs.
Great Harvest also supports several sporting events. The Alaska Run for Women, Junior Nordic Ski, Alaska Waterways 5K, and other races receive baked goods for participants racing for worthy causes. The Anchorage bakery supports the arts, too. Participants in the Partners in Education program at the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts, which provides workshops to 360 Anchorage School district teachers, enjoy Great Harvest treats to help keep up their energy during workshops.
In recognition of their community support, Barb & Dirk's Anchorage Great Harvest Bread Co. was voted the Outstanding Small Business in Philanthropy by the Alaska Chapter of the National Society of Fundraising Executives (NSFRE). Barb also received one of four honorary awards recognizing "Women of Achievement."
A visit to Barb and Dirk's bakery and a glimpse of their bulletin board gives a good sense of just how many organizations are supported by this small business. Thank-you letters, notes and photos cover the board!
When it comes to generosity, the Great Harvest home office not only talks the talk, it walks the walk too.
The home office hosted its first Charity Bake Day for the Dillon, MT community in 2001. Since then, the company has hosted six Bake Days per year to help local non-profits raise money. The company sells an array of breads and sweets with all proceeds benefiting a local cause. Each December, local organizations submit applications for the upcoming years’ slots. Recently, the Women’s Resource Center, Dillon Jr. Fiddlers, Beaverhead County Humane Society, Dillon Recycling and the Southwestern Montana Family YMCA received Bake Day proceeds. Funds also were raised for the Great Harvest college scholarship program.
In addition, each December, the company invites residents to its annual “Thank You” Bake Day to receive one free loaf of fresh, warm bread and treats for helping the company raise the money for local nonprofit organizations. The home office employees always enjoy getting away from their desks to have fun in the bakery making bread and serving their neighbors. “This is our way of saying ‘thank you’ to Beaverhead County residents who helped us support area nonprofits through the Charity Bake Days,” said Mike Ferretti, Great Harvest CEO. “We are proud of our heritage here in southwestern Montana and always look forward to this special event.”
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