WILLIAMSBURG, Ohio — One Tri-State bakery is opening just as the costs of some important ingredients have skyrocketed. Still, the owners are working to ensure they have all the ingredients they need — while helping community members who just need a bite to eat.
Kristen Hess-Winters and Christina McKinney, owners of the Flour Bee Bakery opening May 1 in Williamsburg, know that the cost of eggs continues to rise.
"We're working with a couple of farms to get our eggs — we will only have fresh eggs,” Hess-Winters said. “We do make our own butter, so we don't have to pay for butter."
They also know that so many members of their community can't afford a decent meal — let alone their specialty cakes and desserts.
"I don't know that it's just Williamsburg, I think it's just in general. I think times are hard, everything has gone up," Hess-Winters said.
That's why they're doing more than just making their fresh bakery items. They've launched the Bee Fed Initiative to help those who need a meal. The bakery will take 100% of the donations to their initiative and use it to create Bee Fed sacks filled with a sandwich, fresh dessert, vegetable or fruit, chips and a bottle of water.
WATCH: This bakery is doing what it can to help make sure community members are fed
The Bee Fed sacks will be given to those in need at no charge — all the person has to say is, "put it on my account."
"That tells us they need something to eat," Hess-Winters said. "They don't get called out, it's a judgment-free zone."
For McKinney, opening the bakery and helping the community is a full-circle moment.
"I grew up less fortunate, so those types of donations and the churches, and the fair havens, we utilized those a lot," McKinney said. "It helped us when we needed that meal on the short weeks."
Now, McKinney is paying it forward.
"It's definitely heartwarming to know I came from that and I'm able to provide what I needed, be the person I needed," McKinney said.
In addition to taking donations, a percentage of all of the bakery's proceeds will go toward funding the initiative. You can learn more here.
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