Day 2! I love this time of year. For those who are new, I’m featuring a different charitable organization every day this week, and giving them $25 plus 50 cents for each comment I receive on that post. Plus, I’m asking you to tell me about some of your favorite charitable organizations- which will be in the running for an end-of-week $50 donation! Full details here.
Today, I want to tell you about a cool little Chicago-based social enterprise called Sweet Miss Giving’s.
I know, I know, I was skeptical about the name, too, but this organization does amazing things. It’s a social enterprise, which means that it’s a for-profit organization with a social mission. Their mission is two-fold: two provide job training and skills to the homeless, and to provide financial support to men, women, and children living with HIV/AIDS.
From their website:
Sweet Miss Giving’s is a premier bakery and jobs program that offers rich, decadent baked goods while providing a new reason to feel good about sweet indulgences: over 50% of all profits go to help the formerly homeless and HIV/AIDS-affected men, women, and children of Chicago House.
So the way it works is this: they make, sell, and deliver delicious baked goods. They do this by training and employing homeless folks who need job skills. The super-cool thing about their choice to start a jobs-training program in the food service industry is that it helps people get marketable skills and necessary certifications that will make them employable lots of places, not just at Sweet Miss Giving’s. Participants in the program get certified in things like food safety and kitchen management, which makes them strong candidates for positions in other commercial kitchens when they’re ready to move on. Smart. Very Smart.
More from their website:
Sweet Miss Giving’s was founded by Rev. Stan Sloan, an Episcopal priest and long-time CEO of Chicago House, the first provider of AIDS housing in the Midwest. Sweet Miss Giving’s is Stan’s vision for how to create a pathway to jobs for the homeless – while also helping to fund Chicago House’s support services… We are driven by our social mission. Over 50% of our profits go directly to Chicago House. What’s more: our bakery doubles as a comprehensive jobs program. At any given time, more than a dozen disabled adults are getting real-world training and experience in our kitchen – as bakers, delivery assistants, and packaging specialists.
So today you can support Sweet Miss Giving’s and its mission by commenting on this post. (I’ll be sending the donations to Chicago House, SMG’s non-profit partner.)
But that’s not the only way you can help this super-cool organization. Are you in the Chicago area? Does your office ever order in from Corner Bakery or Starbucks? Wouldn’t it be awesome if, for the same amount of money, you got treats that helped give people job training and also provided support for people living with HIV/AIDS? Why don’t you suggest to your office manager that next time you order in, you do it from Sweet Miss Giving’s? If you would like some of our materials to pass along to a colleague, you can contact Stephen at ssmith@sweetmissgivings.com or 312.255.8470.
Social enterprise is cool, isn’t it? So let’s get commenting!
Thank you.
This sounds like a super-good organization, and I wish I lived near it so I could EAT FOR CHARITY.
One of my best friends interned for Sweet Miss Giving’s … it’s an amazing organization offering wonderful opportunities to a very underserved part of our community.
This sounds awesome. How amazing of you!
What an awesome organization thanks for highlighting it!
This is so cool! What an awesome idea.
That sounds so amazing, I am going to go check them out!
Wow, what a great organization.
What a great organization! And thank you for doing this, It’s a fantastic way to spread some holiday cheer and social awareness! =)
This is great! You are awesome for doing this for such a wonderful organization
I will TOTALLY eat for charity! I mean, it’s the least I can do
I just love how you do this! What a wonderful thing! Wahoo!!!!
Another worthy cause I care about deeply is a charter school on the brink of bankruptcy here in the Twin Cities. Main Street School of Performing Arts provides students with an opportunity to learn from professional performing artists and integrate performing arts into the academic classroom as well. It’s a great school, but cash flow is a serious problem due to some state politics.
http://www.performing-arts-school.org/
Swistle’s comment: hilarious.
This year I’m making a donation to the local Cat Haven. Dumped animals just break my heart.
This organization sounds great- I’ll have to send the link to my mom for her office’s holiday parties! Thanks!
That sounds like a great idea!
Very cool. I’ll have to check them out next time I need yummy baked goods!
oh, i love this one. and i so wish i were nearby because now i want delicious sweet treats.
Great idea!
Here’s another one!
Another great charity! It is really interesting to read about them.
Sounds good
I’ve never even heard of a ‘social enterprise.’ I wonder if they use their profits to support other initiatives?
How great of you!
It’s great that the help people to become financially independent!
Another comment to help out!
I really, really love this whole idea, haha.
Yummy sweets + a worthy program = Score!
Mmmmm eating for charity! sounds great to me!
Yum! You rule for doing this!
Fantastic!
I love to hear about innovative ideas and ways to be of service!
Yay!
I plan to share this link w/ friends and relatives in the Chicago area.
I’m with Swistle ~ eating for charity, always a great idea!! Very cool concept & extensions!
Eating for charity? I love it.
I too, will sign up to eat pastries FOR THE GOOD OF MANKIND. Then I will be a missionary to Hawaii.
Just clicking over from Swistle to say: What a nice thing for you to do!
For the same price? I wish I was in the area so that I could let everyone know, alas, I live in Tx and can’t use their services!
Sounds like a great organization. Thanks for supporting them!
Social enterprise is cool! There should be more organizations like this.
Awesome! Another great charity!
What a great charity.
What a great idea for a charity.
This sounds like a wonderful organization. They get my vote.
I think what you’re doing is awesome! I work for a nonprofit and donations have been hard to come by this year. Kudos!
Oh I’d SO eat at that bakery! Way too often.
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Mmmmm. eating for charity – what could be better?!
What a fantastic idea for a charity! I love it.
love the idea! Merry Christmas!
Love it… Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas!!