(Here's an article cross-posted from our bakery vendor, Reality Kitchen, introducing you to their mission. You can learn more at realitykitchen.org. Enjoy!)
What's cookin' at Reality Kitchen?
We hear that question a lot, and the truth is we’re a lot more than a café and bakery. Even though we seem to be open only Thursdays and Fridays, 10 am-6 pm, and now Saturdays 9 am-2 pm, we’re busy, seven days a week producing baked goods for your favorite restaurants and food service businesses in the community.
But that’s not all, by a long shot!
Reality Kitchen is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Our Mission: “To offer employment path experiences designed to nourish and inspire all learners, with and without disabilities, to thrive personally and professionally with supports and resources in a community inclusive setting.”
We are licensed to deliver Employment Path Services (and very soon to offer Day Support Activities) to individuals in our community who experience intellectual and developmental disabilities. (I/DD). We offer in-person job-skills training opportunities in a fully integrated workplace setting where individuals of all abilities work and learn together.
Our educational program is why we operate a wholesale bakery and retail café so we can provide real life employment based experiences to fulfill these individual’s goals for independence, self-confidence and success.
Reality Kitchen offers a supportive, genuine workplace environment that daily is changing the perceptions of our community around the employment options available to individuals with I/DD.
We offer a sixteen-week program where Participants learn how to safely use the equipment in a commercial kitchen, from mixers and ovens to the dish pit and mop sink. They learn the necessary rules and procedures for safe food holding and handling, explore international cuisines and how to conduct and discuss taste assessments of a wide range of foods, cooking and baking methods and techniques.
Participants learn the benefits of mise-en-place, time management, food presentation and recipe development. Barista skills and working with co-workers and supervisors is included and, of course, how to problem solve and practice hospitality and courtesy while working with you, our very favorite customers!
And that’s where you come in.
At the beginning of the week, our Participants are preparing and making baked goods, doing prep work to be ready to make the soups and salads and sandwiches and meals we serve in our café. They make the pies and our cakes, pretzels and fruit bars, cookies and turnovers. They help in the baking, packing and delivering of our breads and baked goods we wholesale in the community and retail sell in our café. They do this with professional supports as part of the certified skills training activities we offer.
Thursdays and Fridays are when Program Participants put into practice the things they learn those other days, and you are the most important part of the equation because you are the “Community” in “Community Inclusion.” They learn so much when you come visit to enjoy a meal, a piece of pie and a cup of tea or coffee and purchase baked goods. They learn to work the register and practice “customer service skills” and we are so grateful for your participation!
We appreciate the confidence and trust you place in us when you are able to make a kind and generous donation to our nonprofit to sustain us and our Mission as we grow into the future.