FRIDAY DECEMBER 2: JENNA'S PROMISE AND TWO SONS BAKEHOUSE TO HOLD GRAND OPENING AND RIBBON CUTTING FOR JENNA'S COFFEE HOUSE

Johnson, Vermont – Jenna's Promise and Two Sons Bakehouse are pleased to announce a Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting ceremony at Jenna's Coffee House on December 2, 2022. Located at 38 Lower Main Street West in Johnson, the underpinning of Jenna's Coffee House will be the partnership of Jenna's Promise and its workforce development program with Two Sons Bakehouse. The pairing aims to help to shift the model of care for people with substance use disorders by hiring people in recovery to help staff the business alongside industry veterans. Remarks and the ribbon cutting will start at 10:00 am and end at 11:00 am. There will be free food provided by Two Sons Bakehouse, coffee provided by Jenna's Promise Roasting Company, and conversation with community members, local business leaders, and elected officials. All are welcome!

At 10:00 am, attendees will gather on the steps of the café to observe the ribbon cutting ceremony that will formally open the business. The café, housed in the 1850s-era Barrows building, was completely remodeled after sitting vacant for several years.

Speakers will include Greg Tatro, Founder of Jenna's Promise and Amy Tatro, a Co-Founder who also served with Greg as a project supervisor. Bill Hoag, owner of Two Sons Bakehouse will also speak, along with former legislator and Chair of House Appropriations Kitty Toll.

"This project has been a long time coming, but it fits in with our goal of helping to address substance use disorder by offering housing and workforce development while also providing an important service to the community. The Jenna's Promise team is excited that this space will allow us to partner with Bill, who is an incredible chef and businessman. We care deeply about Johnson, and so the thought of bringing back a café to town really excited us. So too did giving new life to one of Johnson's more historic buildings that stood vacant for years," Amy Tatro adds.

The partnership is the first of its kind in Vermont: a fully functioning café that primarily employs people in recovery. It will reach into a part of the workforce that remains untapped because of lingering stigma. Both Two Sons and Jenna's Promise believe this can be a new model that can help alleviate the workforce issues that have hampered Vermont businesses. "You keep hearing how Vermont doesn't have enough people. How do you get that workforce up? Vermont's population is getting older," Bill Hoag says. "I've worked with people in recovery my entire career, I like the idea of bringing people into the workforce that want to work. We need people to work, and they need to work. Why wouldn't we want to give them the opportunity?"

The cafe will utilize the twin strengths of Two Sons Bakehouse sandwiches and baked goods, along with Jenna's Promise Roasting Co. coffee. All of this will be orchestrated by Hoag and his leadership team. "I want the restaurant business to be successful and thriving in Johnson. Other towns seem to be doing that well, why can't Johnson be part of that too? My hope is we can see something that can benefit the community as a whole and can bring it together. If we can help people, too, then that's even better."

The venue will offer ample opportunity for those in recovery to further their skill development in the workforce, further the goals of reducing stigma, better connect Northern Vermont University students to downtown Johnson, and provide a gathering place for the community. "This building will epitomize everything Jenna's Promise stands for in offering safe housing, a safe workplace, building bridges with the community, and revitalizing a business that has been absent in town," Greg Tatro says. "We can't wait to celebrate its opening."

Event Info

Nov 11, 2024, 1 to 5 PM

Nov 12, 2024, 6 to 7:30 PM

Nov 16, 2024, 11 to 11:40 AM