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South Fork Bakery Resilience Fund

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Covid Relief Fund For Special Needs Bakers. 

Right now we need your help to get the bakery through these tough times! Can you please help us with a donation for South Fork Bakery?   To learn more read below or follow us southforkbakeryLi  or find us online SouthForkBakery 

South Fork Bakery now in its 5th year is an invaluable resource on the East End of Long Island.  The mission of South Fork Bakery (a 501c3 not for profit business) is to provide meaningful employment to the special needs community.  South Fork Bakery also provides job skill training and support to build independence and confidence. Just as importantly, we provide a place where everyone feels welcome, valuable, capable and happy among friends. We are proud to say our employees have taken these skills and gone on to employment in the restaurant industry. As the only business on the East End which employs and trains adults with developmental disabilities such as autism, autism spectrum, learning disabilities and Downs Syndrome, South Fork Bakey directly changes lives.  Founded by Shirley Ruch, a speech therapist in Sag Harbor, the bakery continues to grow is in its fifth year making delicious cookies, brownies, pies, and other goodies sold throughout the Hamptons making our community sweeter and more inclusive in the process. 

(This picture was taken before the Covid Pandemic)

"It doesn't matter that you have a disability at the bakery."-Collier, baker

"The love you feel in the bakery and the joy of all the employees is really touching and wonderful. Being around the employees is a magical experience."-Lee, parent

In March, like so many businesses, South Fork Bakery had to temporarily close its doors due to Covid. Unlike other businesses, our employees, as adults with developmental disabilities, struggle with social isolation daily. The bakery is a place where they can enjoy being with others, have a feeling of self-worth and earn a paycheck. Being closed for a few months was very difficult for our staff. Fortunately, in early June we were able to open our doors again and our employees were delighted that they could begin to return to work under the strict protocol the pandemic requires. Unfortunately some of the stores and farmers markets where our delicious baked goods were sold, now were either closed or functioning in a very limited way. Thus our sales have dropped.  We are actively seeking new stores and other venues to make up for those that have closed. But while doing this we need your assistance to help the bakery get through the tough times so that we can continue to employ the wonderful individuals who work so diligently and joyfully at the bakery.

Keep an eye out for employee highlights to learn more about who your contribution directly helps support. Follow us @southforkbakeryli  or online at SouthForkBakery  Thank you for your support, it means so much to our very special community.


 
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Donations 

  • Peter Strugatz
    • $50
    • 4 yrs
  • Kaitlin Daniels
    • $25
    • 4 yrs
  • Anonymous
    • $25
    • 4 yrs
  • Anonymous
    • $50
    • 4 yrs
  • Cailin Gibbons
    • $50
    • 4 yrs
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Fundraising team: Fundraising Board (2)

Shirley Ruch
Organiser
Southampton, NY
Laura Miller
Team member

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