STATEMENT: BLOOM BAKERY CLOSING THIS WEEK

BLOOM BAKERY CLOSING THIS WEEK

Culinary and retail pathways will be continued as part of core programs

Bloom Bakery, a social venture of Towards Employment, will close its retail locations (in Campus District and Public Square) at 4PM on Wednesday November 6.

Wholesale and catering business will wrap up Friday, November 8, 2019. Kate Terrell, Towards Employment Board President, noted: “Our primary responsibility is always to sustain Towards Employment’s critical services so we can deliver effectively on our mission. We have come to realize a more impactful way forward is to focus on Towards Employment’s mission through our core programming, leveraging other partnerships to achieve our training goals in the culinary and retail pathways.” Jill
Rizika, Towards Employment executive director, added: “Over the past years, we have learned so much, made new partnerships and increased our ability to connect more people to careers in the culinary and retail industries. We are looking forward to leveraging this acquired strength into our core business that connects over 2,000 people to careers every year.”

Towards Employment’s commitment to our mission and helping individuals along their career pathways is stronger than ever. Both Terrell and Rizika emphasized: “Our first commitment is to connect each Bloom employee to new opportunities.” Launched in 2016 by Towards Employment, Bloom Bakery served three purposes: prepare individuals who have faced barriers to employment for a career in culinary arts; produce exceptional handcrafted baked goods; and create meaningful career opportunities for individuals beyond Bloom so the Greater Cleveland community can prosper.

In almost four years of business, Bloom has delivered on these goals. With a dedication to training, supporting, and launching employees along their career pathways, Bloom provided 90 people with training, paid internships and employment during its operation. Bloom also had a huge impact on raising awareness of the Towards Employment mission, making
personal connections to the importance of creating opportunities for returning citizens and young people with barriers to employment. The food and products created at Bloom gave all of Bloom’s employees pride in their work; and retail, wholesale and catering customers reciprocated with high praise for products and service. We are so grateful to employees, funders, partners, and loyal customers for supporting Bloom Bakery.

NEW RELEASE

Clarification: Towards Employment and Fahey Group exploring opportunity to utilize Bloom locations for new Social Enterprise Bakery

  • Any new business under Fahey Group’s leadership would be dedicated to the same concept of offering opportunities to individuals facing employment barriers, which was Bloom Bakery’s social mission
  • Talks on a transition plan with Towards Employment are just beginning, and no agreement has been reached
  • Towards Employment welcomes the opportunity to see a new business thrive in these locations

CLEVELAND, Ohio – November 6, 2019 – Given today’s media coverage of Towards Employment’s decision to close Bloom Bakery, Towards Employment and the Fahey Group want to jointly clarify that there is no agreement between the two to reopen Bloom Bakery, but that they are now in discussions with one another regarding the matter.  Fahey Group’s founder and local entrepreneur Logan Fahey has explained that “it is our hope to operate bakeries with a similar social mission in the former Bloom Bakery locations. We have reached out to various stakeholders, including Towards Employment, and talks are ongoing, but we have nothing further to announce at this time.”

About Towards Employment

Towards Employment’s mission is to empower individuals to achieve and maintain self-sufficiency through employment. Towards Employment is a proven leader in workforce development that connects people to careers, which changes people’s lives, advances businesses, and strengthens community in Northeast Ohio. Learn more about our work at www.towardsemployment.org.

About Fahey Group

Fahey Group is a holdings company that owns and operates a series of companies including Fahey Advisors, Robin Autopilot, Landmark Lawn and Garden Supply, Landmark Automation, Total Property Contracting, and Chaplais and Fahey. The firm takes an innovation-led approach to helping businesses solve problems, grow and realize their goals. It is passionate about addressing challenges head-on and delivering results that last.

For more information, contact:

Towards Employment:   Adaora Schmiedl, 216-696-7310, aschmiedl@towardsemployment.org

Fahey Group:  Ellen Bruno, 574-524-0364, ebruno@faheygroup.co