Connie Milstein

Archive for the ‘Connie's Bakery’ Category

In addition to their delicious baked goods and lovely ambiance, Connie’s Bakery and General Store, owned by Connie Milstein, has a giving vehicle called Foundation Sweet Success.  Through this, they donate 100% of their after-tax profits to charitable organizations each year.  They target six non-profit organizations and divide their funds equally among them each year.

One of these organizations is called Career Closet.  This group provides free office clothes and other services through the Briarcliff Congregational Church in Briarcliff Manor.  Career Closet clients have the opportunity to select four outfits for the spring and summer season, and then to return for another four outfits for the fall and winter season.  Recipients are those who are recommended by a job-training or counseling program. They can shop by appointment on Saturday from 9:30 to noon.

Volunteers help the recipients select clothing at Career Closet.  At the same time, they offer job interviewing sessions at the participants homes or at transitional housing shelters.

Connie’s Bakery and General Store has established a giving vehicle called Foundation Sweet Success.  100% of after-tax profits from Connie’s Bakery and General Store support charitable work.  Each year, they select six non-profit organizations to designate as the recipients of their charitable funds.

The Breadwinners Foundation is one of these organizations that receive donations from Connie’s Bakery and General Store, owned by Connie Milstein.  This non-profit organization offers short term financial assistance and resource information to families who are dealing with economic hardship after the tragic loss of the primary breadwinner.  For nine years now, The Breadwinners Foundation has been offering financial support including medical expenses, mortgage payments, funeral costs and more.

The Breadwinners Foundation was started by Keith J. Ahlers when his brother died suddenly, leaving his family without sufficient resources.  The organization is funded entirely by contributions from community members and organizations, such as Connie’s Bakery and General Store.

Military families were certainly happy recently, as they indulged in the 400 tins of brownies that were delivered to Fort Drum in time for Christmas!  Connie Milstein, a Blue Star Families Board Member, and her bakery teamed up to create a great Christmas surprise for the newly reunited families at Fort Drum.  Her bakery donated 400 tins of brownies to the families at Fort Drum, so that they would enjoy this delicacy to help celebrate their Christmas redeployment.

Carmen Blackmore, the Fort Drum interim chapter director explained that the soldiers and their families “were impressed by Connie’s & Blue Star Families support and even more impressed how good the brownies were.”

Among her many other socially-responsible activities, Connie Milstein owns Connie’s Bakery & General Store in downtown Mt. Kisco, New York.  What makes this business venture so unique is that 100% of Connie’s net profits are donated to charitable causes.

In addition to the financial contributions that the store makes, it also offers a myriad of other benefits for local residence.  Certainly, it provides employment for people in the neighborhood.  In addition, Connie’s employees take part in a unique one-year, full-time baking apprenticeship program.  They are trained for the entire year by Simeon Manber, the Executive Pastry Chef and graduate of the Culinary Institute of America.

At the end of their one-year apprenticeship, Connie’s Bakery & General Store helps them to move into permanent positions in the food service industry.  They then get ready to recruit and train another batch of apprentices!

There is no longer any reason to feel guilty about indulging in delicious baked goods, pastries, pies, cakes cookies or other treats. If you come to Mt. Kisco, New York or Northern Westchester Hospital, just stop by Connie’s Bakery and General Store and by yourself some guilt-free treats. How? Because every dollar spent at Connie’s contributes to the charities that 100% of the profits earned there go to.

Connie’s Bakery is an innovative idea whose time has come. Connie Milstein is the moving force behind this extraordinary endeavor whose mission is multi-faceted. To begin with, at Connie’s only the finest, most wholesome ingredients are used to make baked goods like Grandma used to make. Secondly, whenever possible, local businesses, craftsmen and farmers are supported through Connie’s insistence that these businesses get priority when purchasing decisions are made. Lastly, Connie Milstein believes in leading by example, and therefore employees are paid a living wage, including complete medical coverage and benefits for all full-time employees.

Stop by Connie’s bakery and get some guilt-free baked goods and gifts, too.