Greyston’s Sweet Mission Showcased on The Today Show
Yonkers, N.Y. (PRWEB) July 17, 2014 -- The Today Show was treated to a behind-the-scenes look at brownie and cookie production at Greyston Bakery during a recent filming for the show’s Hope to It series. The segment, which aired July 8 on NBC, drew national attention to Greyston’s mission, key initiatives of Open Hiring and PathMaking, and its delicious baked goods.
Since 1982, Greyston – one of the world’s leading social enterprises – has been creating jobs and providing integrated programs for Southwest Yonkers individuals and their families to help them move forward on their path to self-sufficiency. For more than 30 years, Greyston has proudly maintained its pioneering employment model of Open Hiring at the bakery, offering job opportunities regardless of educational attainment, work history, or past social barriers, such as incarceration, homelessness, or drug use.
The Today Show’s Hope to It series presents stories on individuals who have struggled with and overcome adversity, highlighting the support networks and organizations, like Greyston, that help them triumph. Three bakery employees were featured in the segment, talking passionately about their experiences working at Greyston and the role that it has played in positively changing their lives.
Greyston President and CEO Steven Brown also spoke about the importance of Open Hiring as a way to eliminate poverty in the disadvantaged community of Yonkers, and PathMaking, a Greyston program and set of guiding values which helps individuals move towards self-sufficiency. Additionally, the segment brought attention to Greyston programs available to both employees and the community at large, including childcare and affordable housing.
“The Today Show recognizes Greyston as a community leader and an agent of change,” Brown said. “Our hope is that other organizations across the country adopt or support these likeminded philosophies to help those in need of a second chance.”
Following Greyston’s feature on Hope to It, donations, brownie sales, and website engagement skyrocketed with interest continuing to increase daily. Moreover, the social impact of the story is powerful: An outpour of praise and support for Greyston was demonstrated through social media posts and sharing; 400 new “likes” on Facebook helped the bakery to surpass a milestone of 3,000 fans. Greyston partners Whole Foods and Ben & Jerry’s were also quick to help spread the word through Twitter. Greyston is currently offering a 10 percent discount on all brownie orders, which can be redeemed online using the coupon code HOPE.
About Greyston:
Established in 1982, Greyston provides jobs for the hard-to-employ at the country’s leading social enterprise, the Greyston Bakery, and uses bakery proceeds to support a wide array of programs and services, including affordable housing, nationally-accredited child care, HIV health services, job training and placement, and a vibrant community gardens program. Greyston reaches nearly 5,000 individuals each year with its programs. For more information, visit http://www.greyston.com.
Nicole Grosjean, Co-Communications, Inc., +1 (914) 666-0066, [email protected]
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