A Memphis bakery is proving that fresh sourdough and steady paychecks can solve two problems at once. Lucy J’s, led by head baker and executive director Josh Burgess, hires and trains people who need a fresh start. A big part of its workforce comes through the Dorothy Day House, the nonprofit run by his wife, Tracy Burgess, which has provided temporary housing and support to families experiencing homelessness at three Memphis locations since 2006.
Lucy J’s pays employees $15 an hour and sells bread, cheddar jalapeno loaves, and cinnamon rolls to groceries, restaurants, and food trucks. As Tracy Burgess puts it, housing alone is not enough, because families need employment that can sustain them long term. The couple is now raising money to expand the bakery and hire more workers.
The story lands differently here on the Suncoast, where high rents and a seasonal hospitality economy leave plenty of working families one emergency away from losing stable housing. Could a local business pair a living wage with job training the way Lucy J’s does? Which Suncoast business do you think could make that model work? Tell us in the comments.
