Host Jeremy C. Park talks with Josh Burgess, Executive Director of Lucy J’s Bakery, who highlights the nonprofit organization that provides job training and living wages for parents who are transitioning out of homelessness with the Dorothy Day House Memphis. Located in Crosstown Concourse, the bakery emphasizes customer service training and baking skills while offering signature baked goods to customers and wholesale partnerships with local businesses.
During the interview, Josh explains that the bakery’s mission is to hire and provide job training to individuals from the Dorothy Day House Memphis, a facility that provides housing and support for families transitioning out of homelessness. He describes the bakery’s operations, including their focus on customer service training and baking skills, as well as their community of staff members from various backgrounds. Josh highlights the bakery’s signature items, such as cinnamon rolls and croissant pockets, and their wholesale partnerships with local businesses.
Josh spotlights Auntie V, a long-term employee at Lucy J’s Bakery, who is beloved by both children and the community. He highlights her importance to the business, noting that children look forward to seeing her each day, and describes her role in teaching other employees how to handle difficult customers with patience and understanding.
Josh explains that Lucy J’s Bakery is a nonprofit organization focused on job training and community building, offering employment opportunities to individuals who have experienced homelessness. He emphasizes their mission to erase the stigma around homelessness by having the general public interact with trained staff who have faced homelessness and similar challenges. Josh highlights various ways the community can support the bakery, including purchasing baked goods, placing custom orders, volunteering, joining their board, or making donations through their website or in-store. He also shared personal insights about the impact of their work, noting that it has reinforced the understanding of how easily one can be close to experiencing homelessness due to unforeseen circumstances.
Visit https://www.lucyjbakery.com to learn more about Lucy J’s Bakery.
