We need your support today!
Since we first established our program in 2016, we have supported more than 80 adults with acquired brain injury (ABI) to thrive in our community. We are the only non-profit, community-based, return-to-work program supporting adults with ABI in the Northwest! We foster community, build resilience and hope, and offer job-training skills for this under-served and under-resourced community. Our unique functional rehabilitation bakery program provides no-cost training, support, and services for adults with ABI who have been otherwise unable to return to work or feel connection in our community. We exist to support this community and to “Change Lives One Cupcake at a Time.”
Unfortunately, we are currently at risk of closing. We need your help today.
Now in our 8th year, we find ourselves at a crossroads. Up to this point, our founder (Dr. Rik Lemoncello) has devoted countless hours as a volunteer: Board President, Program Director, and the operational backbone of the bakery. This business model was never the original intention – without Rik’s commitment, the bakery would have closed years ago. The time has come to transition from our “founder’s space” to a more sustainable model.
Sarah Bellum’s Bakery is not designed to be a production bakery, where the team bakes products with enough volume to cover all costs. Our focus has been on our mission, and we have been successfully Changing Lives! Retail sales of our baked goods funds about 50% of our current operational costs; we run a significant deficit each month in order to provide the needed supports for our community. As a result, our program is only able to continue with outside support. Some people are surprised to learn that we do not receive any governmental support. Individual contributions, corporate donations, and foundation grants are required to sustain our work. We continue to write grants to fund this work, but have not had success to-date this year. We have several grants pending funding.
We need your financial support today to help sustain our current operations and to shift our business model moving forward.
We typically conduct a fundraiser event each fall. Instead of spending money on a gala this year, we are conducting an email campaign. We are seeking 100 donors to give between $500 to $1,000 to sustain operations and help shift our model. Every dollar counts – please give what you can. Your contribution will provide several more months of hands-on learning and social interactions for our team who work in the bakery every day. No dollar will be wasted. If Sarah Bellum’s Bakery & Workshop means something to you, please donate today.
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Sarah Bellum's Bakery & Workshop is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (EIN: 82-4548535). All donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
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If you have any questions, please feel free to email us at info@sarahbellumsbakery.org. We appreciate your support!
With our gratitude from the Board,
Rik Lemoncello, President
Michelle Kinsella, Secretary
Mark Palardy, Treasurer
Matthew Kampfe
Brenda Fulle
Thank You for the Support!
We are grateful to our donors and supporters for your generous contributions. Without your support, we would not be able to continue to provide the only no-cost community re-integration program that empowers adults with acquired brain injury to re-build a sense of meaning, purpose, and identity through return to work in our functioning bakery program, making excellent baked goods!
Thank you to our 2022 sponsors:
Our Team Thanks You!
