Social Enterprise

Haley House has a long history of social enterprise work. In the 1990s, guests from the Soup Kitchen learned how to bake bread, taught others, and began selling it to our South End neighbors. This led to the formation of the Bakery Training Program, where community members could gain invaluable practical skills and employment experience. Support was strong, and the Bakery Training Program soon outgrew its home at the Soup Kitchen.

In 2005, Haley House opened Haley House Bakery Café (HHBC) in nearby Dudley Square (now Nubian Square, in Roxbury). HHBC blossomed into a celebrated community hub, and Haley House purchased the building in 2015. In addition to offering nutrient-rich, delicious food, our social enterprise business offered economic opportunities for people with barriers to traditional employment (especially those transitioning out of incarceration) and culinary education for youth (Take Back the Kitchen). HHBC served as a gathering space where artists, organizers, community leaders, vendors, and food lovers could connect and share ideas.

After 14 years, the Bakery Café underwent a re-envisioning process in 2019 and relaunched with an updated business model in 2020, integrating the principles of “Open Book Management” for the cafe staff. When COVID-19 hit 6 weeks after our reopening, HHBC was able to pivot its model, offering take-out and delivery, while partnering with other local organizations to provide meals to those living in affordable housing across Boston. As the pandemic wore on, the impact on HHBC became too powerful, and in January of 2022, with the prospect of a new building constructed in front of our cafe, Haley House made the decision to suspend operations to plan and prepare for a new social enterprise at 2147 Washington Street.

Our Nubian Square location remains the home of our education and training programs, and we look forward to the new iteration of Haley House’s social enterprise work when construction is complete.