Benevolent Brownies

Guilty pleasures? Not these brownies. Sure, they're sinfully rich: classic chocolate fudge, espresso roast, double chocolate chip blondie, and snickerdoodle. But go ahead and treat yourself: every bite helps a baker's dozen of social programs flourish.

Founded by a Buddhist in 1982, Greyston Bakery, a fellow B Corp, hires workers who typically wouldn't be hired by most companies because of their past or present circumstances—with no questions asked. Employees, instead, prove themselves on the job. A range of resources, including child care, community gardens, workforce development, and sustainability programs, helps support their efforts. The chance to have a stable income while developing their knowledge and skills has transformed many employees' lives, and helped alleviate some of the poverty of the Yonkers community. Of course, none of this would work if people didn't crave their baked goods like crazy—which they (and we) do. (They baked our founder's wedding cake.) But don't just take it from us: Ben & Jerry's (another fellow B Corp) uses only these brownies in its ice cream. Baked with love in New York State.

We visited Greyston Bakery and spoke with two of their dazzling bakers, Cece and Raymond. Step inside and read their stories on our blog.