Sweet Second Chances
Do you believe in second chances? Together We Bake does.
At 19, Hannah went in the wrong direction and needed a second chance. She served eight years, 10 months and 14 days in prison. She was 27 when she was finally free.
But it’s hard for women like Hannah to return to society again. According to a Bureau of Justice Statistics study, only 12.5 percent of employers said they’d accept an application from someone with a criminal record.
“When you come out of prison and go to the halfway house, they still treat you as a prisoner,” she said.
Hannah didn’t enroll in Together We Bake the first time she heard their name.
“I’m not a baker,” she explained.
However, in the halfway house, she met her caseworker, who convinced her to give it a try.
Located in Old Town Alexandria, Va, Together We Bake brings hope to, and builds confidence in, women who were once in their low times. They help women like Hannah. Through providing workforce training and personal development programs, Together We Bake helps their students reenter the workforce.
The baking micro business helps the women learn and participate in food production, food safety education, product packaging, delivery and customer service. (Next)