Julie Kibler, owner of Field & Fire Bakery & Cafe just informed us that their Bakers Against Racism virtual bake sale was a sweet success.“As of Tuesday morning, we have raised $603.80 with our bake sale,” she says. “Our pastry chef did end up making additional cookies, so I won’t have a final number until those are all sold. I was really hoping for higher sales, but it’s still pretty good.”
Because Kibler and her family have been moved by the renewed movement for Black Lives Matter, they wanted to do more to help fight racism. So they took part in The Worldwide Virtual Bake Sale and made OKT their beneficiary.
“After some talking and googling, we found that the official BLM group in GR had been abandoned. We wanted to help a real grass roots group that could really use the funding,” Kibler says. “Food desserts are just another way to oppress black and brown people. Our goal with this effort is to approach racism from a slightly different angle, and that is justice throughfood. We’ve been pushing healthy eating for the last seven years, and it’s time to push it in a new direction.”
The people of Field & Fire Bakery & Cafe have a reputation for doing good. They have regularly donated unsold bread to pantries and non-profits and held annual fundraisers for Grand Rapids Public Schools, Blandford Nature Center, Feeding West Michigan, The Pantry, and Well House.
They host local artists, typically women, and sell their artwork at the cafe.
“We’re members of Local First, so we participate in all of their events,” says owner, Julie Kibler. “We’re also members of Slow Food West Michigan. Most of the outreach we participate in is centered around food, women, kids, and health.”
If you stop by the bakery in the Downtown Market or the cafe on Monroe, please tell them “Thank You!” and enjoy a tasty treat.
Our Kitchen Table 