What a year it’s been at Hot Bread Kitchen–and what a year to join this amazing organization! Since I arrived at Hot Bread in January, we have grown in just about every way.
We launched in 2 new Brooklyn neighborhoods thanks to partnerships with Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation and Riseboro — as well as launched 2 new bridge courses: English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and Digital Skills
Our team now numbers 40 (and counting!) and we welcomed 4 new directors to our Board
We met 80 business owners and aspiring
entrepreneurs in our virtual incubator program
Since 2017, Hot Bread Kitchen has partnered with over 595 women and individuals as they start careers in the food industry
As a result of all this growth and hard work, Hot Bread Kitchen has been able to support 318 members on the path to economic mobility this year. That’s more than triple the number of women who completed our programs annually in years past. Or, as I like to think of it: in 2022, we’ve reached more members than ever before.
And we’re only growing more in 2023. As we head into year two of our push to become 1,000 Breadwinners Strong by 2024, Hot Bread Kitchen is preparing to launch more new programs, including our first foray into upskilling (coming January 2023!), giving our members even more tools to advance in their careers. We’re expanding our footprint across the city, with plans to open a third community outpost by year-end. And we’re adding to our incubator offering, so we can guide more entrepreneurs toward business growth and generational wealth.
I’m sure you can guess what I’m going to say next, but it’s true nonetheless: none of this growth would be possible without supporters like you. Your investment has helped Hot Bread Kitchen reach places we’ve never been before, and I hope we can continue to count on you as we expand. We have the team and vision to do more–now we just need you. Make a contribution today and you’ll lay a strong foundation for the breadwinners of tomorrow.
On behalf of the entire Hot Bread Kitchen team, I want to thank you for your dedication to our mission and our members. Looking forward to continuing our growth—together.
Warmly,
Leslie Abbey
CEO, Hot Bread Kitchen
