Blue Sky Employment Program

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Blue Sky Employment Program

• Blue Sky Inn
• Chicago, IL
• www.blueskyinn.org

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Where we started

• The year 2000
• The idea a bed breakfast run by youth
  transitioning out of foster care system
• The cost 750,000 for first year
• The chances of this happening 1 in 750,000

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Why this didnt happen

• Lack of business-specific experience
• Lack of experience with population
• Lack of community connections
• Lack of resources

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What happened instead

• Established eXpressions, an arts-based group
  mentoring program for homeless youth
• Year 2003
• Cost approximately 3,500/year
• Number of youth served 25/week

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What we gained

• Established relationships with community
  providers
• Gained experience working with population
• Created a starting point

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Fast forward to

• When February 2007
• What Resuscitate job-training concept
• How Teach youth to bake pastries and sell them
  at local Farmers Markets

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The Youth We Serve

• 18-24 years old, women Men
• Homeless living in temporary, emergency
  shelters Doubled-up On the street
• Mental health conditions
• Substance abuse issues
• Criminal records
• Incomplete education

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Program Plan

• Rent shared-use kitchen for approximately
  15/hour, 7 hours/week
• Rent space at two Farmers Markets for 15/week
  (each)
• Met with caseworkers at partner agencies,
  established referral procedures

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Implementation

• Hired Five Youth to each work approximately 20
  hours/week
• Pay rate 7.50-8.00/hour
• Teach youth safe food-handling, dishwashing,
  baking, cooking, cash-handling, customer service
• Job Club

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What we Sold

• White cheddar chive scones
• Cranberry whole wheat scones
• Pear ginger almond scones
• Peanut butter oatmeal cookies
• Chocolate chunk cookies
• Gingersnaps
• Lemon curd
• Mocha chocolate chip banana muffins

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Catering Clients

• ATT
• Breakthrough Urban Ministries
• Chase
• CRA International
• Gravity Tank
• Deloitte
• Prevent Child Abuse America
• PricewaterhouseCoopers
• Time Out Chicago

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What Customers Said

• On 2/19/08 627 PM, "Amy Viola"
  wrote
• Hello,
• I love your lemon curd. There is nothing better.
  I buy it during the summer at the wicker park
  farmers market is there any where i can buy it
  over the winter months?
• Peace and best wishes,
• Amy Viola

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What the Media Said

• The kids at Blue Sky Inn bake a damn good muffin
  (really, weve tried it). The organization helps
  at-risk and homeless teens by employing them in a
  baked-goods and catering business. The org then
  sells the delicious treats the youths whip up,
  from banana muffins with mascarpone icing,
  white-chocolate-macadamia-nut cookies and
  cranberry-whole-wheat scones to a variety of
  sandwiches and side dishes. Enjoy them at your
  holiday party, or send some as a tasty gift.
  Time Out Chicago

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Financial Breakdown

• earned income 20, 252
• Program expenses 20, 516
• Received 40,000 in grants

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Things youth like to do

• Indicate that their feet hurt
• Indicate that they are tired
• Indicate dissatisfaction with room temperature,
  outdoor temperature, comfort level of seating,
  availability of seating, lack of work hours,
  excess of work hours, work hours
• Roll their eyes when you are imparting
  life-changing, earth-shattering information
  related to the differences between baking powder
  and baking soda

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Other things youth like to do

• Youth like to be asked for their opinion
• Youth like to be creative
• Youth like opportunities to share their work with
  their peers/loved ones
• Youth like to teach what they know

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Which Brings us To

• March 1, 2008 Signed lease to establish Blue Sky
  Bakery Café
• Estimated opening date April 5, 2008
• Café will be open 6 days/week, thus employing up
  to seven youth up to thirty hours/week

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What Weve LearnedSo Far

• Let youth tell you what they cant do
• Give your community credit
• Be flexible--and prepared--but flexible

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New Allies (Where Have You Been??)

• Media
• Local Businesses
• Chamber of Commerce
• Board of Directors Corporations