Rising Above Bakery

We believe that baking goes beyond sweet treats, savory breads and other baked goods made in the oven. At its heart, baking is an act of love, of sharing, and a practice of bringing people together that can affect positive change. We see it come to life in local bake sales, national baking competitions and TV shows and in communities across the world. Everyday heroes are making a difference in their neighborhoods and their communities one cookie, one pie, one loaf of bread at a time.

In this Baking Change for Communities series, Wholesome is proud to feature bakers making a positive impact in their communities, wherever they may be. We’re looking to discover those that lead with their hearts, that offer support where it’s needed, and help create positive impact through the act of baking. By showcasing their stories, we hope to share what is possible when sugar, flour and other ingredients are combined and inspire others to use baking as a platform to “do good” in their communities.

One Bakery that rises to the top of our positive impact list is Rising Above Bakery of Chestnut Ridge, NY. Started by Shiri Reuveni-Ullrich, a former pediatric speech therapist. Rising Above Bakery employs individuals with special needs to create baked goods for the broader community. In her time as a speech therapist, Shiri worked with individuals on the autism spectrum and discovered that when baking, her students would become very engaged and expressive, and she started to see meaningful change in their learning. This experience led to a “lightbulb moment” for Shiri and she decided to solely focus her efforts on baking and started Rising Above Bakery. Her bakery not only employs individuals on the spectrum to create delicious baked goods but provides an inclusive work environment for her employees to learn and grow as individuals and baking professionals. Shiri is an inspiration!

Know any inspiring bakers in your community? We’d love to hear about their stories and continue to build the momentum of Baking Change for Communities. Email us at [email protected].