A local Nanaimo bakery has been fundraising money for Island Crisis Care Society, and has now seen success in helping people in crisis get a foot in the door.
Developer of Communications with Island Crisis Care Society, Elspeth Erickson, says so far one person has gone through ‘Project Rise’— a program helped to give people employment skills and experience— and was employed by the Nanaimo Bakery & Cafe.
“The intention is for the Nanaimo Bakery & Cafe to be one of the many ‘work hosts’ that are the folk who make Project Rise possible, because they offer the employment placement sites,” says Erickson. “So far, the bakery has hosted one person and we’re looking forward to another person being placed there very shortly.”
Erickson says that with the help of the bakery’s funding, ICCS has been able to launch programs that they may not have been able to get the funding for otherwise.
“Since we’re working as a social purpose company now,” said the front-end supervisor of the bakery, Siobhan, “all the profits that go through the bakery go back to the Island Crisis Care Society and funds their programs.”
Siobhan says the funds help to support the community and people who may be going through ‘various states of crisis.’
Nanaimo Bakery & Cafe used to be an old German bakery, but has rebranded and become a social purpose eatery just over a year ago.
ICCS helps to support people who face crises like homeless, precarious housing situations, and other stressful situations.
