Brownies With A Better Purpose

If you’ve ever had our Chocolate Fudge Brownie or Half-Baked™ ice cream flavours, then you’ve already had a taste of the greatness that comes from Greyston Bakery. We first tasted their wonderfully fudgy brownies back in the late 1980’s, and we've been ordering tons of them ever since.

Founded in 1982 as a social enterprise, Greyston Bakery is as committed to providing jobs and job training for individuals who face barriers to employment as it is to crafting award-winning gourmet cakes and tarts. Through their open door hiring policy, anyone that comes through the front door of the bakery is given the chance to work, regardless of educational attainment, work history or past social barriers, such as incarceration, homelessness or drug use. 

Meet some of the faces behind Greyston Bakery:

Greyston is a movement. They’ve been here for over 30 years. It’s cool to give back to the community. I believe they care and they help people to strive to be better.

I’m a resident of Yonkers, so I’ve always known about Greyston. After I got incarcerated, I came down here and I wanted to change my life. I appreciate that they gave me a chance before anyone else did, so I give them 110%.

If you stay out of trouble, there are all kinds of opportunities for you. Before, I was in the life, I was selling drugs. I didn’t know that were all kinds of the opportunities that I’ve got now. I changed. I educated myself, and wanted to become a citizen and stop selling drugs. I wanted to be here for my family, for my kids.

I inspire a lot of people on the streets, because they used to know me when I was out there dealing drugs. So if I can have a job where I get here on time, leave on time, and work hard, then it inspires people out there. I love the feeling of being a role model. I want to stay this way. A lot of people can see that I can do it, so they feel like they can do it.

It’s a total change, but you have to want it. It just don’t happen overnight.

There aren’t that many women here. We’re outnumbered. When I first started here, it was just me and this other girl for the longest time, sticking it out with the men. We do a man’s job, you know? What they do, we can do even better.

Greyston offers advancement and I’m hoping to become a supervisor. I know the ins and outs of this place. I’ve been around, I’ve learned a lot and I know how to do a lot of things, you know? I’ve got an upper hand on a lot of stuff. I hope to move up in the ranks. I plan on sticking around for a little while.

I’ve met a lot of nice people here at this bakery. We have a good time together. We work, we laugh and play. It’s like a new family. Not like a blood family, but it’s totally different. It’s awesome.

Some people here, they stayed in trouble a lot, and they talk about how Greyston gave them a job. They have an outlook on a better future. They don’t have to go back to the way they were living. Some may say it saved their life.

PathMaking is a Greyston philosophy. It means to set some goals to try to do something different, like to move on and make things better for yourself. Go for a higher position, go to school, learn another trade, don’t stay stuck right where you’re at. You can always do more, you can always do better.