Fund raiser for Equity & Inclusion
We’re donating 10% of sales at all locations on Friday, July 28th! Every purchase helps The Blueprint Foundation and M.U.S.T., two nonprofits building equity and providing opportunities for Black youth in the Pacific Northwest.
Thank you for joining us in our commitment to local organizations changing young Black lives in Portland and Seattle through education, shared experiences, and mentorship.
Meet The blueprint foundation
“Seeing kids have even small realizations that nature is a place that we can be and we get to have these beautiful impacts on, that’s a big change. ”
Students learn about river sedimentation from Derron Coles, The Blueprint Foundation’s executive director.
The Blueprint Foundation provides mentorship, training, and experiential learning to prepare underrepresented communities for careers in the green sector and empowers them to be advocates for the natural world.
Some current projects:
Tappin’ Roots: An environmental internship program for Black-identified high school youth in the Portland Metro region.
Engineering Promise: Partners with caregivers of young Black children and established curriculum developers to provide a series of culturally specific design activities that can be carried out with kids at home and in nature-based settings.
Grounding Waters and Constructing Careers: Both create cohorts for Black-identified students to connect with culturally matched mentors while participating in a wide range of hands-on learning and exploration activities that increase their environmental & conservation knowledge base, encourage good stewardship, develop tools and building skills, and help to develop a positive relationship with nature and their community.
Watch a video about The Blueprint experience
Meet m.U.S.T.
“M.U.S.T.’s mission is to provide a space for Black males to liberate themselves through mentoring.”
M.U.S.T. (Mentoring Urban Students & Teens) pairs at-risk Black male youth in Seattle with young adult Black role models for four years of high school, providing valuable emotional and academic support and resulting in higher graduation rates, college attendance, and healthier lives. After serving the most vulnerable Black male youth in Seattle since 2012, M.U.S.T. has produced outstanding results.
Mentors for the mentees assist through all four years of high school, helping young Black male students navigate life, school and relationships. Volunteers from the community coach the mentors, helping them get the skills they need to finish their higher education or further their career, while mentees get an emerging adult Black male role model who grew up in a similar environment to themselves.
Watch a video about the M.U.S.T. experience
Grand Central Bakery is proud to support this local Seattle nonprofit as part of our commitment to support historically marginalized or underrepresented groups in our community.
Please visit any Grand Central Bakery location on Friday, July 15th, to support The Blueprint Foundation and M.U.S.T. (Mentoring Urban Students & Teens)
ABOUT OUR COMPANY GIVING
Grand Central Bakery holds three fund raisers each year for local nonprofits dedicated to food & farms, equity & inclusion, and immigrant rights. Along with donating a percentage of bakery-cafe sales, Grand Central offers employees a chance to make donations to our partnering nonprofits, with contributions matched dollar for dollar by the company.