There is something powerful about a warm kitchen- It can be a place of healing, belonging, and connection across generations.

My name is Brittany, and I’m the founder of Sweet Resilience, an Indigenous-owned small business built with the intention of creating a safe, welcoming space for our community.

I’m reaching out today with humility and hope to ask for your support in helping us continue this work.

Like many small businesses, our journey hasn’t been easy. We’ve faced unexpected delays and challenges, many outside of our control. These have made it difficult to get off to the financial start we had hoped for. We’ve pivoted, adapted, and continued to show up with everything we have. Now, we are at a point where we need support to keep moving forward.

Sweet Resilience is more than just a business. It’s a space rooted in care, culture, and community. We are working closely with other Indigenous organizations to offer cooking and baking classes. These classes teach practical skills while also creating opportunities for connection, confidence, and empowerment. A core part of our mission is to support and uplift Indigenous individuals and Indigenous-run businesses, because when one of us grows, we all grow.

This work is deeply personal to me.

I am Indigenous, and I was raised by my grandmother for the first 15 years of my life. She was my safe place. She taught me everything I know in the kitchen, including her bannock recipe, which is now the signature item on our menu. That recipe carries her love, her strength, and her legacy.

Shortly after my 15th birthday, just before Christmas, my grandmother passed away. In that moment, I lost not only her, but also the sense of stability and comfort she gave me. My mother struggled with alcohol, and my father was lost to addiction. Life shifted quickly, and I had to find my way forward.

At 16, I moved to Thunder Bay and started my first job as a baker in a hotel kitchen. From that point on, the kitchen became my new safe place, whether at home or at work. It was where I could ground myself, where I could create, and where I could feel connected to myself again.

Sweet Resilience was born from that experience.

My goal is to create a space where others can feel that same warmth and safety. A place where people are welcomed exactly as they are, where skills are shared, and where community is built through food, culture, and care.

Right now, we are so close to expanding what we can offer. We have classes ready to launch, partnerships growing, and a vision that is taking shape. We need support to sustain and grow this space.

Our goal is to raise $30,000 to help stabilize and grow Sweet Resilience so we can continue serving our community.

Funds raised will go toward:

Paying off outstanding balances

Expanding our dine-in space

Covering legal fees from past challenges

Preparing and improving our space for patio season

Purchasing tools and supplies needed to run community cooking and baking classes

Every contribution, no matter the size, helps us continue building something meaningful, not just for today, but for the future of our community. If you’re not in a position to donate, sharing this page means just as much.

Every share, every dollar, and every moment of support truly makes a difference.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story, and for being part of this journey.

With gratitude,

Brittany