Success Stories
Mike's Story
Three months before joining the program, Mike lost his wife of 7 months to cancer. He had left his job as a host at a local restaurant to care for her in her last stages of the terminal disease. Although he had many years of experience working in restaurants as a chef and cook, he was unable to come to grips with his deep depression until he was referred to the Bread Project by his sister.
Mike spent the next 12 weeks honing his skills through the bakery training program and gaining confidence to reenter the food industry. In his seventh week of training, after attending a field trip to Mariposa Baking Company in Oakland, program staff referred Mike to an open position at the bakery, and after an intense application process, he landed the job. He continued to attend training on his days off and share what he learned about commercial bakery production from his experience at Mariposa. He became an example to many of his fellow trainees, helping them see how their training had practical applications to bakery jobs. After only five months on the job, he was promoted to Bakery Manager!
Leslie's story
Leslie had difficulty staying out of prison due to her addiction to heroin. She came to the Bread Project faced with many challenges to employment – no formal work history, multiple counts of incarceration and having less than a year of sobriety. She found out about the program through a friend and was encouraged by her Narcotics Anonymous group to pursue training with the Bread Project. Her greatest impetus for changing her life was her teenage daughter, who needed more guidance and a better role model.
In addition to her bakery training, Leslie built on the interview techniques she learned in the Bread Project’s job readiness classes by participating in an interview clinic with Wardrobe for Opportunity. With the guidance of professional human resources personnel, she gained the confidence to address her work insecurities.
She was landed a production job at a bakery San Francisco, but was unfortunately let go due to staffing reductions after 5 months. One short month later, Leslie was referred to a bakery in Richmond and is now earning more than before. She is extremely grateful for the support. “I'm still doing really great and learning new things everyday, like how to use a bank and keep my spending within my budget. I can tell you this—it feels great to be finally working, and I know things will only be getting better from here.”
Jodi's story
Jodi had been battling addiction to methamphetamines over several years. She decided to take her life back and started the Options recovery program. When she heard about The Bread Project from another participant in her recovery program, she immediately called the program to apply for acceptance. Each day, she commuted from Tracy to participate in the job training program, showing strong dedication and commitment. Jodi’s leadership skills were recognized when she was appointed as the Class 53 representative at graduation. To further demonstrate Jodi’s outstanding skills, she was recognized by a guest mock interviewer during an interview clinic with Jamba Juice. Jodi was able to leave a strong impression with the Jamba Juice volunteer and was asked to interview for an actual position at a Jamba Juice location in Berkeley. She is now working as a Team Shift Leader at Jamba Juice.
Don's story
Don had years of experience in truck driving but found it difficult to obtain a steady stream of income with the declining economy. In addition, his long stints away from home made it hard for him to see his family. He had previously worked in the food industry years ago and found out about The Bread Project program through a transitional shelter program in Berkeley. Remembering all the amazing food he was able to eat while on the road at family roadside diners, he decided to shift back into the food industry. At the program, he honed his kitchen skills and shortly after graduating, landed a job at Alameda County Medical Center as a cook earning $20 per hour.
Rick's Story
Rick had a history of making decisions and regretting them. He dropped out of high school when he was 17, and while he was able to get low-skill jobs or work for himself, it was always a struggle for him. For almost 40 years, he was controlled by his addiction to drugs and alcohol to avoid feeling worthless and directionless in his life and employment.
His two passions are music and cooking. Music inspires him creatively, and cooking reminds him of his grandmother, a strong woman who always made him feel good about himself through her prolific skills in the kitchen. This had helped him get through, but when he turned 50, he reevaluated his life and realized that he had more to offer. Three years earlier, he had entered a recovery program and joined Narcotics Anonymous. Clean and sober, he knew that he could take the plunge and find that direction he needed.
He enrolled in the Bread Project’s Bakery Production training program in Emeryville. "it has been a truly wonderful experience. The Bread Project has given me the opportunity to learn the skills to become a baker and the structure to help me focus on staying clean. I’m sad to go because it the Bread Project had an infectious enthusiasm that created a great supportive environment. They’ve helped me get a job as a cook in a retirement community, and now I’m on my way to make a worthy life for myself. I’m even planning to get my GED."
Jamie's story
Jamie is a single mother of three children who, as a teenager, entered an emotionally abusive relationship with a drug dealer in Oakland. While she was able to break free from the street life, her children were taken from her by their paternal grandmother, a brothel madam, for three years. Without any support from her family, she eventually ended up in a women’s shelter in Berkeley where she found a flyer for The Bread Project. At The Bread Project, she saw her fellow trainees in similar desperate situations, and in addition to the job training, she found the support and compassion she needed to get back on her feet. In her testimonial, Jamie said, “The Bread Project is now on my speed dial. They’re a part of my family. Without The Bread Project, I know I would be back to a hopeless life of abuse, selling drugs on the street.” She has regained custody of two of her children and is now working as The Bread Project’s Café Manager where she helps other trainees with customer services and barista skills.