What Does Bread, Second Chance, Reentry and Dave’s Killer All Have In Common?

I’m just a typical dad who loves dad jokes, and the cornier the better. I like to food shop for new and healthy products.  On my last trip to the supermarket, I found a line of bread products that had a really catchy name. “DAVE’S KILLER” Bread.  It is organic, with no high fructose corn syrup, no artificial ingredients, kosher and on sale. I bought a loaf and went home with my new discovery.

My wife looks at the label and asks me why it had the word killer in the name, and I couldn’t resist, “because Dave was a killer who after his release from prison, started the company”.  After we both giggled at my silly quip I asked Google and what I found was amazing.

In 2005 Dave Dahl co-founded the company with his brother after spending 15 years in and out of prison. The rest of the story is worth telling. This one man, whose illustration is on every label has started a new life after prison and his company is today the number 1 organic bread in the USA. Dave’s Killer Bread is sold in all 50 states and Canada. It has 300 employee-partners in the Oregon bakery and 1 in 3 employees have a criminal record.

This inspiring second-chance story can and should be repeated. Look at Dave’s Killer Bread Foundation for inspiration.

Find grants on GrantWatch.com  using the keywords “prison” and “reentry” and “offender”; or look under the Juvenile Justice Grants category. This category includes local and national Juvenile Justice Grants for programs supporting at-risk youth & young adults. Grants to state and local agencies, IHEs, tribes, nonprofits, and faith-based organizations for programs that provide the necessary supports for at-risk students and previously incarcerated youth.

Here are 2 grants for reentry programs that will expire very soon:

Grants to Greater Baton Rouge, Louisiana Nonprofits for Education, Health, Prison Reentry, and Human Services Programs

Deadline: 08/23/19 

Grants ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 to Greater Baton Rouge, Louisiana nonprofit organizations for programs and projects in the areas of human services, education, healthcare, and prison reentry. Applicants requesting funding in excess of $30,000 must obtain staff approval prior to applying. Grant applications from non-profit organizations with a statewide focus are also accepted. The Foundation believes its highest and best use of grant dollars are for capacity building within nonprofits.

Grants to Washington, DC Nonprofits, Agencies, and IHEs for Juvenile Prison Sentence Reduction and Reentry Services Deadline: 08/19/19 

Grants to Washington, DC nonprofit organizations, public agencies, faith- and community-based organizations, and colleges and universities to support efforts to reduce prison sentences for prisoners incarcerated as juveniles and to support subsequent reentry services.

I think I will continue to support Dave’s Killer Bread because he has made a home for people like himself who are trying to live their lives in a positive way after prison; and while I am not going to march on Washington for after prison reentry programs, I can make a difference by just purchasing a good product and keeping these people in my heart.

And it tastes good too!

About the Author: Jake Tewel holds a Masters Degree from YU, a wine seller and caterer and a million miler for the past 15 years. Jake is a best friend, great neighbor, your go to travel person, father, grandfather and loving husband. He is now focusing his efforts on heart healthy nutrition, exercise and travel.