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Our Molasses Clove Cookie is the core of our wonderful family of baked goods. It was the first (of many) of our cakes and cookies to be honored with the food industry’s equivalent of the Oscars in 1998. More importantly, it seems to be a nearly universally loved cookie, even from folks who swear they don’t care for molasses or clove. It all started with a bakery buyer for what was then Bread & Circus, a New England retail chain and pioneer in the natural foods movement. She requested that we make a homey, seasonal cookie for the December holidays in 1996. We thought it would be good for a month. We were very wrong. It turned into a whole company! But we were really right about something else. In the early days (when we occupied a former pizza parlor with a couple convection ovens) we used to say, “Don’t bake mad it will ruin the cake!” Truly. We translated the inverse of this thought into our whole operating philosophy.
See how the Molasses Clove Cookie packaging has changed through the years!
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| 2001 | 2002 | 2004 | |
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| 2005 *mini Molasses Cloves* | 2008 | 2009 | |
| Send Molasses Clove Cookies today! |
Nominate an Honorary Deer in the Spotlight
At Dancing Deer, we follow a few core values that guide us in our work and personal lives, and we’d like to recognize folks who share these values. We call them Deers.
* Deers support the community, giving of their time and talent for the benefit of others.
* Deers care for the environment, choosing paths with positive environmental impact.
* Above all, Deers love what they do. They are passionate and generous in their work and personal lives.
If that sounds like someone you know, we invite you to fill out the nomination form below. If we select the person you nominate to be one of our featured Deers both you and your nominee will receive a scrumptious gift from us.
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| Molasses Clove Cookies | Chocolate Chunk Brownies | Holiday Shortbread Cookie Tin |
About One Family Inc.
An initiative of The Paul and Phyllis Fireman foundation, One Family is a not-for-profit organization devoted to ending family homelessness through a two-pronged, replicable and measurable approach in Massachusetts: The One Family Scholars Program and Systems Change. The long-term solution to ending family homelessness lies in strategies that promote economic independence and create affordable housing.
Scholars Program: A Direct Path Out of Poverty Towards Economic Independence
The One Family Scholars Program provides college scholarships to formerly homeless and low-income mothers. The program’s mission is based on the premise that education, linked with essential tools and support services – flexible funding, leadership and mentoring – helps women clear the barriers that often prevent them from building a better future, pursuing careers that pay a living wage, and building the most reliable and direct route to economic independence.
The program also subscribes to the belief that by fostering unity among the scholars themselves, and linking them to a family and community network of support, the program embraces each Scholar as a member of a larger family, dedicated to her success.
Finally, One Family encourages Scholars who successfully complete their education and secure employment to "give back" to the community through leadership opportunities, acting as Ambassadors of the program, to encourage future participants as they begin the same journey to independence.
Recipients of One Family Scholarships are typically homeless, formerly homeless and low-income working women with children. Many have attempted to better their career opportunities in the past, and have been thwarted by the need to provide health care, day care or other essential services to family members, which overwhelm their finances and ambition. One Family seeks to empower these mothers with the tools they need to provide for their families while completing their education and planning for a secure and safe future.
Scholars may pursue their Associates' or Bachelors' Degree. Selection is based on academic promise, leadership potential, demonstrated work ethic, and financial need. Since its inception, the Scholars program has provided funding to more than 200 mothers, and not one has returned to shelter. Other success indicators include:
• High Academic Retention Rate: Scholars have an 85% year-to-year academic retention rate, much higher than the 55% national average for all public college and university students, 24% for college students from low-income families [1], and 16% for community college students[2].
• Better Grade Point Averages: Scholars overall grade point average is 3.03, compared to the national average of 2.97.
• Acquisition of Family Sustaining Careers: Currently, OFS has an 81% job-placement rate and the average Scholar Graduate salary is $34,220 – an almost 300% growth from pre-program earnings.
• Increased Self Sufficiency: A key indicator of self-sufficiency is a reduced reliance on state and federal benefits: in 2006, the average Scholar was utilizing $13,412 annually in benefits (TAFDC, SSI/SSDDA, Housing Subsidy, Food Stamps and Childcare Vouchers) before entering OFS. At the same time, the average Scholar Graduate was utilizing only $2,771 in benefits ($1,959 in Housing Subsidy annually and $812 in Childcare Vouchers annually.) This represents a $10,641 average annual reduction in benefit usage for each Scholar Graduate.
• Multi-Generational Benefits: Scholar children are more motivated to succeed in school and are in fact improving their own school performance.
Systems Change
One Family’s Systems Change strategy includes working to implement a Housing First strategy to keep families in their homes or move them quickly to permanent housing, creating the stability that families need to enable them to focus on self-sufficiency. This will be achieved by:
• Shifting state government from managing homelessness to ending it via the newly formed Massachusetts Commission to End Homelessness, of which One Family is a member;
• Creating grassroots support for change;
• Fostering the creation and implementation of long-term solutions.
For more information about One Family, Inc. go to their website, www.onefamilyinc.org.
[1] Postsecondary Education Opportunity (http://www.postsecondary.org), Thomas Mortenson, Higher Education Policy Analyst and Senior Scholar for the Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education, from a 2004 study of students from families earning under $35,000 pursuing degrees.
[2] Boston Globe; The New College Try, April
Sponsors
It’s easy to take sponsors for granted in this commercial and hyper labeled world. It is also hard to ever give them proper due. All of these people and organizations were generous and inspired with their knowledge, funding, services and goods. Some are large organizations and some are very small. We deeply appreciate the efforts of each and every one.
Paul and Phyllis Fireman of the Paul and Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation. Here are a couple of people who have deployed their good fortune to solve social problems in a quiet and generous way. They have been working on the objective of ending family homelessness for years. They are our anchor sponsor and simply wanted to give visibility and voice to the availability of solutions to the problem of family homelessness. It is through their generosity that One Family developed the Scholars model. http://ppffound.org
The following additional sponsors are listed in alphabetical order.
Arcade Snacks
Assos
Belmont Wheelworks
CFDynamics
DMSE Sports
Nicole Freedman
Garmin
Louder Than Words
MonkeyMedia Software
Oakley
refine + focus
Trek
UPS
Arcade Snacks Is a custom roasting company specializing in Nuts, Dried Fruit, Snacks, and Trail Mixes. It is a local, family owned company which insists on personal supervision, freshness and quality from selection and processing of ingredients to hand-packaging. Dancing Deer has been working with this excellent all-natural nuts and dried fruits from Arcade for years. In a heartbeat they offered to provide the decorating materials for our Gingerbread House decorating parties along the route and shipped us pounds of very yummy and healthy supplies. www.arcadesnacks.com (return to Sponsors list)
Assos Assos of Switzerland takes pride in developing cycling clothing for the most discerning cyclists, pros as well as serious recreational riders. Developers of the first lycra cycling garments, Assos has always been a leader in engineering and innovation. This same passion is evident in their support of cycling endevours that will help to change the world. Assos is proud to support Trish and the Dancing Deer crew in their efforts to end family homelessness. From Trish: I feel a bit overwhelmed both by the generosity of Assos’s sponsorship, as well as wondering how to recognize myself in such very cool looking stuff. They set me up with everything imaginable including socks and a skull cap. Every stitch of it is a wonder. I have always had a “one gear suits all” outdoor sports mentality and pretty much wear things till they’re in tatters as well. I have to admit that wearing something enormously comfortable, specially designed for the purpose and beautifully made . . and stylish (!) is a great joy. My seat, in particular, thanks to the Assos shorts engineers. www.assos.com (return to Sponsors list)
Belmont Wheelworks New England’s primary retail cycling resource since 1977. These folks are not just shoulder to shoulder with the best in cycling, they are also incredibly nice people! They sponsored Trish because they like to be there for the cycling community and support good efforts and cool things. They told us they didn’t want any commercial promotion in exchange as they really have as many customers as they can happily satisfy. They brought in Trek, Assos, Garmin and Oakley for a range of equipment and technology needs. Just like that! www.wheelworks.com (return to Sponsors list)
CFDynamics.com provides high quality hosting solutions for small to medium sized businesses with millions of dollars in transactions worldwide. Our experienced staff supports a robust network that is completely redundant allowing our customers to confidently do business online. CFDynamics proudly sponsors many not-for-profit organizations and helps them provide a successful web presence. When we were approached by MonkeyMedia Software to help provide a solution for the Dancing Dear Mother’s Day Ride we were glad to donate services and provide a solid foundation for this site. We’re grateful for proactive customers like MonkeyMedia and Dancing Deer that care about the communities they live in. www.cfdynamics.com (return to Sponsors list)
DMSE Sports Is an event management company specializing in the creation, marketing and production of mass participatory athletic events throughout the U.S. and abroad. They have directed more than 750 events worldwide some of the most technically challenging and high profile road races and charitable sporting events in the nation. The DMSE team built the route plan and has been our guardian angel advising us on how to do this SAFELY, They won’t be actually running the ride itself for us, as the Boston Marathon is the same week. So they’re busy (!), but they donated lots of great advice. www.dmsesports.com (return to Sponsors list)
Nicole Freedman I always meant to do some research on how to train for this ride but things just got so busy . . . So I had a basic plan acquired by polling my riding friends. It wasn’t a terrible plan. About eight weeks before the ride however I was introduced to Nicole Freedman who agreed to give me some coaching advice. She is a former Olympian and one of the all time winning-est professional cyclists in the sport. She has coached many elite athletes and also coaches the MIT cycling team. She is incredibly knowledgeable about the physics, physiology, psychology and practical aspects of everything related to cycling. She is also philosophical and wise. The first thing she made me do was take a week off and her cautions more often have to do with getting enough rest and enjoyment and honoring the twists and turns life throws in our way, than about the technical stuff. She’s been a great help and an inspiration. Also she’s incredibly modest and mild mannered. The work she’s doing in the City of Boston as Director of Cycling Programs and Hub on Wheels is important stuff. (return to Sponsors list)
Garmin At Garmin, we create navigation and communication devices that can enrich our customers lives. What better way to give back to the cycling community than to support the efforts of Trish and Dancing Deer to end family homelessness? With our Garmin 605 we can’t help Trish pedal, but we will make sure she is on track. From Trish: For those who have already discovered the brave new world of GPS I probably don’t have to tell you that it revolutionizes your riding – especially when you really don’t know where you’re going!! I have the big picture (that comes pretty easily to me). But man the devil is in the details and the Garmin technology has them. It is also a truth machine so no more – “must have averaged about 20 plus and the elevation was 2x Mt. Washington”. It’s all there in the data. Every measly hill or heroic ascent. And in a pinch, all by myself, I was forced to figure out how to use it and managed to do so even though I’m not super techno friendly. So it’s not that hard. On that note however, I did have the tireless and over the top assistance of Scott Chamberlain of Wheelworks. He’s a super Garmin expert and managed the translation with Map My Ride and all the twists and turns we put on this thing for a 1500 mile course. I am developing a close relationship with my GPS and would feel lost in the world without it. www.garmin.com (return to Sponsors list)
Louder Than Words Provides PR consulting and services to foundations, nonprofits, and businesses that are philanthropically minded, community-driven, and socially responsible. It’s purpose is to communicate the inspirational stories of organizations and individuals to the world. By sharing their stories and expertise, our clients influence audiences, promote innovation, advance causes, and inspire positive action. President, Rich Polt jumped in, “ . . .when I learned that Trish was considering an epic bike trek to support Family Homelessness. I immediately knew that this ride would align with her personal passions and would be a bulls eye for the agency’s focus on “doing good in the world.” And from the Deers perspective, it would be an understatement to say that Rich was a driving force in bringing this vision to reality from his first impulse to say yes, to his many, constructive and diligent interventions to make sure we nailed the details along with the vision. www.louderthanwords.com (return to Sponsors list)
MonkeyMedia Software offers a range of web-based solutions for foodservice operators including quick-serve and fast casual restaurants, bakeries, commissaries, food factories and mail order companies. Their family of applications currently supports more than $300 million in annual revenues including Dancing Deer. Trish was pedaling her (stationary) bicycle through a trade show this January and the Monkey folks stopped by and found her breathlessly chatting it up with the crowd, explaining what she intended to do and the Monkey folks simply said, “We know how to do that. We’ll just build it for you – no problem. It’s a donation to your very cool efforts.” Very cool . . . ! It’s lucky too because the technology end of this was terrifically ambitious and we didn’t have the bandwidth to do it in house. They delivered the site from concept to launch in 6 weeks. www.monkeymedia.net (return to Sponsors list)
Oakley was created for world-class athletes, those who see the limits of possibility as just another challenge. Their dedication drives us to look beyond the conventional ideas of industry standards. It’s in our DNA to identify problems, create inventions, and wrap those inventions in art. And simply to make things better than anyone thought possible. Decades of Oakley innovation have been awarded more than 540 patents that elevate physics to the level of art. Our technologies transcend sports to enhance the lives of consumers, and more than 110 countries now enjoy a full array of market-leading products including premium sunglasses, goggles, prescription eyewear, apparel, footwear and accessories. These products represent our commitment to excellence — a passion that redefines what is possible for those who defy their own limits. AND a note from Trish. I was going to carry my reading glasses so when it was really important to read the GPS I could do so. . . . Clint Paige at Wheelworks said “no way”. He also reminded me about eye strain, sun damage to my eyes, the ability to look through the windshield of the oncoming cars to read the driver’s expression, staying on the road and not zig zagging while trying to read the GPS, and minimizing fatigue in general over the very long days on the road. So just like everything else he snapped his fingers and in walks Oakley with top of the line – get this – progressive riding sunglasses so I can see both near and far. Nice idea. Oh my goodness what a difference! And guess what – it also makes sightseeing that much more pleasant and I’m going to be doing a lot of that. www.oakley.com (return to Sponsors list)
refine + focus is a boutique social media and interactive marketing agency which helps businesses and brands create relationships with their customers and achieve their marketing and sales goals online. r+f has deep experience with Facebook, Twitter, blogs, blogger outreach, content and online marketing strategy. It’s clients include Queen Rania of Jordan, HipCricket, XShares Advisors, Broadmark Capital, and Organizações Globo. And of course they have overhauled Dancing Deer’s understanding of social media and coaxed Trish in to the 21st century. www.refineandfocus.com (return to Sponsors list)
Trek Trek is people committed to changing lives through cycling. Our goals are long term as are those of Trish and the incredible journey she is embarking on. Using our bikes in her efforts to end family homelesness is thrilling for all the Trek family. Although the miles will be long, her Trek Madones will provide the most comfortable and efficient technology available. From Trish: Wow what a bike. When I walked in to Wheelworks and took a look at the upgraded brand new Trek Madone for women my jaw dropped. Could I ride something so gorgeous? I absolutely love the Madone I’ve been riding for two years and thought that we were built for each other and no bike could be more perfect. I still feel that way because I’ve put a lot of miles on that bike. I’ve also flown off it many times and it always gets up and cheerfully keeps going – like magic. But this new bike is very hot. Sean Brennan of WW fitted it to me. He’s something of a genius as far as I can tell because he rearranged my whole geometry and it became immediately clear he was right. He thought I should stick with my old seat and put a matching one so both bikes would have the same feel. But after trying out this odd looking new design I begged to hang on to it. It has certain characteristics that make me less intent on having my next entrepreneurial venture be a new type of bicycle seat. www.trekbikes.com (return to Sponsors list)
UPS UPS is the world’s largest package delivery company and a global leader in supply chain and freight services. With more than a century of experience in transportation and logistics, UPS is a leading global trade expert equipped with a broad portfolio of solutions. Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., UPS serves more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. The company can be found on the Web at www.ups.com (return to Sponsors list)
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Family Shelter Wish List
The following list represents family shelters along the route and their program needs. We encourage you to help these shelters in any way that you can.
Athens Area Homeless Shelter 620 Barber Street Athens, GA 30601 (706) 354-0423 Map it!
• Spoons
• Forks
• Large Sized Tupperware, Food-Safe Storage Containers
• Paper Towels
• Toilet Paper
• Trash bags
• Diapers (especially Size 3, 4, 5)
• Socks and underwear (call for specific sizes)
• Children and Infant’s Tylenol
• Children’s Toothpaste
Columbia Family Shelter 2411 Two Notch Road Columbia, SC 29204 803-771-7040 Map it!
• General Cleaning Supplies
• Sheets, blankets, pillows and towels
• Paper napkins, cups, plates and bowls
• Plastic Forks, Spoons, & Knives
• Paper towels and toilet paper
• Latex Gloves
• Children’s Medicine and first aid items
• Laundry Detergent (powder)
• Feminine Hygiene Products
• Baby Formula (powder)
• Outdoor Games (Balls, Frisbees, etc.)
• Passes to Zoo, Movies, State Fair, etc.
Volunteer Needs
• Dining Hall Attendant
• Kitchen Manager
• Administrative Help
• Errand Runner
Charlotte Emergency Housing 2410 The Plaza Charlotte, NC 28205 704.335.5488 Map it!
• Monetary gifts
• Kitchen items (pots and pans, skillets, cookware, utensils)
• Sheets (full and twin size)
• Pillows
• Blankets and comforters
• Window blinds (standard 35”)
• Cleaning products
• Paper products
• Diapers and wipes
• Children’s prizes
PLM Families Together 1410-105 Brookside Drive Raleigh, NC 27604 Map it!
• Pots and Pans
• Dishes, silverware, and kitchenware
• 10 new vacuum cleaners
• 50 new children and youth backpacks
• Cleaning supplies, including oven cleaner
• Toilet paper and paper towels
• Twin, Full, and Queen beds
• Sheets and towels
• Mother’s Day and Father’s Day cards for children to give to their parents
Caritas Shelter 1532 High Street, Richmond, VA 23220 Phone 804.358.0964 x303 Map it!
• $5 and $15 gift cards to Walmart or CVS Pharmacy
• Coloring books and small crayola packages
• Suduko, Word Puzzles or other cognitive activities
• 2009 pocket calendars
• Resume’ Paper
• Pillows
• Blankets
• Flat Twin Sheets and Pillow Cases
• Donations to assist with day care to give parents an opportunity to job readiness classes and job search.
• Furniture donations to assist families when they move into their new residence (We have a warehouse to store these items)
Night of Peace Family Shelter 7509 Windsor Mill Road Windsor Mill, MD 21244 Map it!
• Dinner volunteers 5:00-7:00
• Air Mattresses (twin sizes)
• Apple sauce/pudding
• Snack food for kids…chips, cookies
• Cold cereal
• Baby diapers size 4 -6
• Paper towels
• 50 gallon plus trash bags
• Shower mats
• Towels
• Wash cloths
HELP Philadelphia 4910 Wyalusing Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19131 Map it!
• Funding for professional consultants or volunteers with expertise in the field of various topics such as anger management, parenting, self-esteem, grief, etc. with emphasis focused on evening groups.
• Subcontractors to provide a series of training workshops;
• Special Emergency funds to purchase food, diapers, and other toiletries;
• Funding for our volunteer program – to celebrate a volunteer recognition activity, to provide a stipend for volunteers;
• Funds for summer field trips, museums and cultural events;
• Purchase television for group facilitators and HELP staff to use during presentations;
• Audio sound equipment;
• Purchase curriculum material for books on self-esteem and tapes for children;
• Developmental and learning toys (Discovery Toys)
• Child size tables and chairs (folding)
• Fund an annual HELP Philadelphia event to an amusement park or picnic for residents.
• Provide a career training activity for residents.
Salvation Army Marshall House 225 South Marshall Street Hartford, CT 06105 860.543.8430 Map it!
• Towels- wash cloths
• Sheets - twin-queen-dorm size
• Gift Cards - Walmart-Stop &Shop-Target
• Bus tokens-passes
• Dishes-silverware
• Deodorant
• Combs-Hairbrushes
• Kitchen sets
• Curtains-blinds
• Fans
Gingerbread Houses
Need another copy of Gingerbread House Instructions? Click here.
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Mother’s Day Ride Gallery
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Around the Bakery
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Boston Shines
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Trish’s Calendar of Events
Around the Bakery
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Route
Today’s Route from MapMyRide
Calendar of Events
Daily Route
Where’s Trish?
Trish is REALLY hoping to have company on the road, not just to block the wind but to share the fun and learn new things, make new friends. And of course, she is always trying to rope the innocent bystander in to a good cause. So beware. There is a tracking device on her which will enable you to see where she is on the route. Her start times will be posted daily so check the site in case there are changes. There will also be posted way points where you can plan to meet her.
GPS tracking powered by InstaMapper.com
About the Dancing Deer Mother’s Day Ride
1,500 miles • Atlanta, GA to Boston, MA • April 22 - May 6
600,000 U.S. FAMILIES with 1.35 million CHILDREN will experience HOMELESSNESS this year (according to http://www.endhomelessness.org)
This is a solvable problem – learn more and join us!
What
On the occasion of Dancing Deer’s 15th anniversary, Chief Deer, Trish Karter, is taking the company’s double bottom line mission on the road. On April 22nd, Trish will hop on her bicycle to begin a 15-day,1,500 mile journey arriving home for Mother’s Day. The goal of the ride is to make a profound and lasting difference in the lives of families living on the edge of homelessness by raising awareness for the issue and supporting organizations that work tirelessly to end it. She’ll stay at homeless shelters, bring the Deers’ tradition of Gingerbread House Making, and engage the public in a conversation about how to end homelessness along the way.
Why
For Trish, an environmentalist and philanthropist at heart, business is personal. Her values are deeply embedded in Dancing Deer. Since the company was founded in 1994, the Deers have pursued a broad mission of doing good while doing well: building philanthropic efforts to end homelessness into the core of the business model; leading efforts in the natural food and green packaging movement; innovating ways to empower the workforce; and advocating for socially responsible choices. Dancing Deer has received many Honors and Awards for its excellent products and innovative business practices.
Through her advocacy work and Dancing Deer’s partnership with the Boston-based nonprofit, One Family, Trish has seen homelessness at the street level and known many families over the years who wrestle with the challenges. Increasingly the population of homeless families is coming from the working poor. Since the vast majority of homeless families are headed by single women, Mother’s Day is a fitting moment to shine the spotlight on family homelessness.
Funding the Solutions to End Homelessness
In 2001, Dancing Deer launched the Sweet Home Project in partnership with the Boston-based non-profit, One Family, Inc. Through this project, 35% of the revenues derived from Dancing Deer's Sweet Home product line funds the One Family Scholars Program, which provides college scholarships for homeless mothers as a pathway to self-sufficiency. Spread sweetness and help end homelessness by sending a Sweet Home gift for Mother's Day or by making a charitable donation directly to One Family's Scholars program. To date, the Scholars program has provided scholarships to formerly homeless and at-risk mothers in Massachusetts. Given the success of this program, One Family Inc. is launching this initaitive nationally. During the Ride, all online charitable donations and proceeds from the Sweet Home line will be put into a One Family Restricted Fund to support this effort and help build and fund scholars programs outside Massachusetts.
The Route
ATLANTA > Athens 4/22 > Augusta 4/23 > Columbia 4/24 > Charlotte 4/25 > Griffins Crossroads 4/26 > Raleigh 4/27 > Richmond 4/28 > Washington 4/29 > Baltimore 4/30 > Lancaster 5/1 > Philadelphia 5/2 > New York 5/3 > Hartford 5/5 > BOSTON 5/6
Where's Trish and Riding Along
Check our site to see where Trish is at any point in time. We are REALLY hoping you’ll join us for any or all of this ride. For tips to connecting with Trish check out our Daily Route page.
Ride Partners & Sponsors
Paul and Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation, One Family, Inc., Louder Than Words, BelmontWheelworks, The National Alliance to End Homelessness, DMSE Sports, Assos, Garmin, Trek, refine + focus, MonkeyMedia Software, CF Dynamics, Inc., Arcade Snacks, Oakley.
How to Help
Get involved! There are many ways that you can help. Spread sweetness by purchasing a Sweet Home product or by making a charitable donation. Check out Trish's daily route, jump on her wheel and ride with her part of the way. Provide a shelter in a city along the route with an item listed on its wish list. Go to the websites of One Family, Inc and The National Alliance to End Homelessness and see how you can make a difference..
For more information, Contact:
Beth Wald
Ride Director
(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
508.733.5402 (during ride)
Lindsay Interland
Bicycle Coordinator
(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
617.442.7300
Kate Brown
Event Coordinator
(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
617.442.7300
Michele Fox or Erica Salamida
Public Relations
Louder Than Words
(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
781.487.0002
How to Help
Spread sweetness and help end family homelessness by purchasing Sweet Home goodies or gifts or by making a charitable donation directly to the Scholars Program at One Family Inc. here!!
Check out Trish's daily route, jump on her wheel and ride with her part of the way. Provide a shelter in a city along the route with an item listed on its wish list. Go to the websites of One Family, Inc and The National Alliance to End Homelessness and see how you can make a difference.
The Sweet Home Project
The golden rule is our essential ingredient, and the Sweet Home Project is our philanthropy to help end family homelessness. In 2001, Dancing Deer launched the The Sweet Home Project in partnership with the Boston-based nonprofit, One Family, Inc. Through the project, 35% of the retail price of Sweet Home goodies and gifts are donated to the One Family Scholars Program, which provides college scholarships for homeless mothers as a pathway out of poverty to economic self sufficiency. This program works! Not one of the mothers who has graduated from the program has ever returned to a shelter. We work hard each year to ensure that as our business grows so does our generosity. Since the launch of the project, Dancing Deer has donated $200,000 to the One Family Scholars Program.
Make a charitable donation directly to One Family’s Scholars Program
To date, the Scholars program has provided scholarships to formerly homeless and at risk mothers in Massachusetts. Given the success of this program, One Family Inc. is launching this initiative nationally. During the Ride, all online direct donations and proceeds from the Sweet Home line will be put into a One Family Restricted Fund to support this effort and help build and fund Scholars programs outside Massachusetts.
The Sweet Home Project
Families with children are among the fastest-growing segment of the homeless population | |
The golden rule is our essential ingredient. The Sweet Home Project is our philanthropy to help end family homelessness. Through a partnership with One Family Inc., a nonprofit initiative of the Paul and Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation, we donate 35% of the retail price of Sweet Home goodies & gifts, year-round, directly to scholarships as a pathway out of poverty to economic self sufficiency. The best news is, not one of the mothers has returned to shelter since completing the program. You may also support the The Sweet Home Project and donate directly to One Family Inc. here! |
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Our Philanthropic Mission Ending Family Homelessness: Created in 2001 by Dancing Deer Baking Company, The Sweet Home Project contributes to direct action programs to help homeless families establish stable lives and move into homes of their own. We work hard each year to ensure that as our business grows so does our generosity.
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Policy
Summary
Body
The Deers
We believe that when people are happy, it shows in the food. We developed this philosophy from the earliest days when we observed that baking “angry” would ruin a cake.
Our Mission
We are a company of people who are passionate about food, nature, community and aesthetics. We are dedicated to excellence in all we do - sometimes we pull it off! Here’s what we consider most important, aside from making our shipping deadlines every day. We have a brought package of mission objectives but they all fall under one guiding principle, The Golden Rule. Here are some details of how we define that.
Pleasing the Eye and the Palate
Our products are known for straight-up yummy-ness, innovation, artful but simple packaging and pure, high quality ingredients. We blend traditional artisan baking with innovative flavor combinations and package our products with a somewhat whimsical disregard for the expected. We think packaging should be as artful, honest and as good as the food.
Using All-natural Ingredients
We choose to make a perishable product without artificial preservatives or other ingredients because we believe in the principles of purity and freshness in food. Our products are always all-natural, baked from scratch and Kosher.
Caring for the Environment
To the extent possible we make choices in our packaging, production and facilities management, which are friendly to the environment. We print on 100% recycled paper with vegetable inks and use as little packaging as possible. We are constantly seeking new solutions to minimize materials use and find the greenest solutions. Please send us your ideas!
Supporting the Community
We try to give back from our modest successes in a variety of ways. Our main philanthropic efforts are devoted to helping homeless families through the Sweet Home Project We donate 35% of the retail price of all Sweet Home Gifts to fund scholarships for homeless mothers as a pathway out of poverty.
Worker empowerment and workplace practices
We believe that diversity, broadly defined and actively pursued, creates a better work place and it is one of our priorities, along with creating a collegial, learning environment that is meritocratic and non-hierarchical. We have a stock option program for all employees (excluding the CEO and CEO) to hold as much as 15% of the company and we run the company with an open book management philosophy. The more informed the better the output. We seek to use transparency productively and to improve the quality of our work and our environment. We believe that all team members should share in the rewards of a well run, growing company.
Our Company
How we got started
There were three company founders; a talented baker, Suzanne Lombardi, who originated many of Dancing Deer’s recipes, a theoretical physicist/business strategist, Ayis Antoniou, who loves to cook, and a business woman/artist, Trish Karter, who’s passion is nature and the environment. Trish is still with the company as CEO. Suzanne and Ayis, have moved on.
Incorporated in April 1994 to provide high quality, all-natural baked goods to accompany the growing market for gourmet coffee, we started out in a former pizza parlor on a busy street corner with a couple of convection ovens. Our specialty was cakes, sold primarily to cafes and restaurants. In 1996 we brought out a line of packaged consumer goods under the Dancing Deer label. Not long after that we opened the doors to passers by who demanded access and forced us in to having a small retail operation. We surprised ourselves, and a lot of other people, when we won the Food Industry’s equivalent of the “Oscars” in 1997 for our Molasses Clove Cookie. That same year, a food writer from (no kidding) Hollywood arrived at our counter looking for directions. Before we could really comprehend what was happening, Dancing Deer was on national TV being touted as making the “best cake in America”. We had managed to have a toll free number up and running within 24 hours of receiving his call, and thus our mail order business was launched. Many more awards and honors have followed.
It has been an interesting journey. Our successes are due to luck, a tremendous amount of dedication and hard work, and a commitment to having fun while being true to our principles. We have had failures as well – and survived them with a sense of humor.
Our Name (Everyone asks)
The company’s namesake was the antique shop in Bar Harbor, Maine run by Suzanne Lombardi’s grandmother, from whose recipe box also came the origins of Dancing Deer’s signature Deep Dark Gingerbread Cake.