Help Chef Natalie rebuild WeBeJAMIN' Bakery
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I am an Afro-Caribbean Chef! I specialize in making both delicious pastries and savory cuisine. I have a lot of range and I am very talented. I am reaching out for support towards the relaunch of my food business called "We Be Jamin". In 2015 my sister and I launched a business that served a the bakery concept at Milk Lady Farmers Market and the City of Gaithersburg Farmers Market in Montgomery County Maryland. At those markets I sold a variety of fresh artisan loaves, sweet breads, jams, and marmalades with unique flavor profiles. We also took orders for customized cakes, wedding cakes and buffet dessert orders for events. Through support of the community and relationships with local farmers we were successful.
Six months in we had to pull the plug on We Be Jamin' Bakery because of the immediate trauma of my marriage separation that eventually lead to divorce.
Servicing the farmers markets was my sole income and was not enough to sustain myself and two sons. I had just started out and was also facing the threat of being homeless.
You see, my exhusband left our family for another woman and her children. For the first time in my life I had to make a big decision and leave MD to live in Washington state with a relative. My children and I were supported by my mother's sister until I got on my feet. I found a job within two weeks of moving to Washington. If some of you in Tacoma, Wa remember the Italian Bakery that opened Oct 2015 in Point Ruston, I was the opening staff and Head Chef. I enjoyed sharing my talent and range of delicious pastries.
Fast forward to 2019. After 2 years of running an italian bakery in Tacoma, WA and 2 years as a chef instructor at FareStart, I applied for my business licenses to launch We Be Jamin here in the pacific northwest. As a result I have been producing custom orders for specialty/wedding cakes. I have also volunteered my time to do dessert cooking classes at Jubilee Women’s Shelter in Seattle and preparing the desserts for The Service Board’s 2020 fundraising initiative. At the beginning of 2020 I made some very important and sustainable connections with BIPOC Farmers in the PNW through an event called Back to the Roots Retreat that took place in Oregon. Through those relationships I have collaborated with a BIPOC farmer who purchased my jams and fruit & seed granola bars for their food boxing initiatives for families during COVID-19.
I have received recently received some large orders to produce jams for food box initiatives to feed families during COVID-19. Your financial support will go towards the start up cost to obtain proper licenses from the WSDA, rent for a commercial kitchen, business insurance, equipment to produce the jams in mass quantity, ingredients, jars, labels, hiring of a part - time employee, and support retail opportunity start up costs. I want to continue to grow We Be Jamin into a sustainable business that I can survive on, put my son through college, while serving communities in Washington and Oregon with my talents.
Peace and Blessings to all of you. Thank you for your love and support to help rebuild We Be Jamin' LLC.
Six months in we had to pull the plug on We Be Jamin' Bakery because of the immediate trauma of my marriage separation that eventually lead to divorce.
Servicing the farmers markets was my sole income and was not enough to sustain myself and two sons. I had just started out and was also facing the threat of being homeless.
You see, my exhusband left our family for another woman and her children. For the first time in my life I had to make a big decision and leave MD to live in Washington state with a relative. My children and I were supported by my mother's sister until I got on my feet. I found a job within two weeks of moving to Washington. If some of you in Tacoma, Wa remember the Italian Bakery that opened Oct 2015 in Point Ruston, I was the opening staff and Head Chef. I enjoyed sharing my talent and range of delicious pastries.
Fast forward to 2019. After 2 years of running an italian bakery in Tacoma, WA and 2 years as a chef instructor at FareStart, I applied for my business licenses to launch We Be Jamin here in the pacific northwest. As a result I have been producing custom orders for specialty/wedding cakes. I have also volunteered my time to do dessert cooking classes at Jubilee Women’s Shelter in Seattle and preparing the desserts for The Service Board’s 2020 fundraising initiative. At the beginning of 2020 I made some very important and sustainable connections with BIPOC Farmers in the PNW through an event called Back to the Roots Retreat that took place in Oregon. Through those relationships I have collaborated with a BIPOC farmer who purchased my jams and fruit & seed granola bars for their food boxing initiatives for families during COVID-19.
I have received recently received some large orders to produce jams for food box initiatives to feed families during COVID-19. Your financial support will go towards the start up cost to obtain proper licenses from the WSDA, rent for a commercial kitchen, business insurance, equipment to produce the jams in mass quantity, ingredients, jars, labels, hiring of a part - time employee, and support retail opportunity start up costs. I want to continue to grow We Be Jamin into a sustainable business that I can survive on, put my son through college, while serving communities in Washington and Oregon with my talents.
Peace and Blessings to all of you. Thank you for your love and support to help rebuild We Be Jamin' LLC.
Organizer
Nadine Byrd
Organizer
Steilacoom, WA