The Mission in My Words: Ginger Graham

What initially inspired you to get involved with the Mission?

Our first introduction was hiring a terrific gentleman from the Mission, Buzz, who helped us every single day with a renovation project. He took great care of the building and great pride in its restoration. We continue to be in contact and appreciate his dedication to the project’s success.

How do Ginger and Baker’s values align with the Mission’s values?

A community is just a big family, and we believe every “family” has a wide range of needs. If Ginger and Baker is to succeed, we need the support of the community, and the community needs us to be full participants in making Fort Collins a great place to live. We are also committed to providing locally sourced food and supporting local agriculture. The Farm provides a great experience for their participants to learn about food production and better skills in food preparation.

You have donated pies and hired men from the Farm to work at Ginger and Baker. Why is it important for you to do both of these things?

One of the challenges of running multiple food venues is the amount of food that is at risk of being wasted due to variations in daily demand. We want to share as much food as we can to help address food insecurity in our community and the Mission is one of the ways we can do that. We also believe strongly that any person who is working to reestablish their role in the workforce and to contribute to the economy and their community, should be given an opportunity for a good job with a group of people who will appreciate their work and respect their contributions. We’ve hired just under 30 individuals during our five years of business.

Do you have a favorite memory from your time supporting the Mission?

We’ve taken groups of Ginger and Baker employees to tour the Farm. It helps our staff appreciate the efforts by the community to support individuals working to reclaim their lives and also an appreciation for the hard work associated with raising food.

Why is it important for you to get involved in the potential relocation process of the Mission?

It’s important for all of us to openly engage and express our views. The best communities are able to address every topic with open and honest conversations, respecting the views of all constituents and finding common ground. Jack and I show up for all kinds of community discussions because we care about our hometown and we want to be part of solutions, not just bystanders.