"If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
African Proverb
Our Story
The idea for Rising Above Bakery arose when Shiri Reuveni-Ullrich, a speech therapist and an avid baker, noticed the dramatic effect that baking cookies had on her nonverbal, autistic young adult students. The kitchen filled with chatter, singing, laughter, and verbalizing as students became more comfortable with the work. At that moment, she knew that a bakery must be created to help individuals with disabilities find their voice and live meaningful, independent lives.
Rising Above Bakery has moved to a new (interim) home! Rockland Community College has generously given us the use of a commercial kitchen and storefront in the heart of Nyack, NY.
This means that Rising Above can do MORE of everything you love. We plan to take on more bakers and produce lots more bread and baked goods as we learn our way around a full-size commercial kitchen. We can finally invite the community in to purchase our baked goods and say hi.
of individuals with special needs are unemployed
are unemployed due to their special need
are unemployed due to lack of education or training
Our Vision
Our next goal is to secure a storefront location where we can further develop our vision of a practical, financially viable, community-building service business that employs and imparts meaningful life skills to young adults with a wide range of developmental disabilities.
Rising Above Bakery envisions itself at the center of three overlapping communities: Our bakers-in-training and their families; our customers; and our storefront friends and neighbors. The bakers we train are united by their experience of a life-affirming, confidence-building work experience that can open a path to a meaningful, productive life. Our customers share their enjoyment of our delicious, hand-crafted baked goods – and also the knowledge that each item they purchase has given an individual the opportunity to practice the craft of baking.
Our mission
The mission of Rising Above Bakery is to help develop independent, empowered bakers who possess the skills and self-confidence needed to live independent, fulfilling lives: Getting up each morning motivated to start the day and go to work, meeting people and taking part in social interactions in an inclusive environment. We aspire to achieve this while building a self-sustaining business that is a valued member of its local community.
advisory Board
Our Vision
Our next goal is to secure a storefront location where we can further develop our vision of a practical, financially viable, community-building service business that employs and imparts meaningful life skills to young adults with a wide range of developmental disabilities.
Rising Above Bakery envisions itself at the center of three overlapping communities: Our bakers-in-training and their families; our customers; and our storefront friends and neighbors. The bakers we train are united by their experience of a life-affirming, confidence-building work experience that can open a path to a meaningful, productive life. Our customers share their enjoyment of our delicious, hand-crafted baked goods – and also the knowledge that each item they purchase has given an individual the opportunity to practice the craft of baking.