Randy Sams' Outreach Shelter is realigning its Be the Blessing Bakery job training program.
"We're refocusing the program with the emphasis on job training," said Jennifer Laurent, Randy Sams' executive director.
As part of the changes, the bakery will no longer make cakes, a service that had become a big part of its business.
"The bakery has had such a great response and people were ordering cakes, but we're having to pull back from that and focus on preparing the workforce, which is our goal," Laurent said. "Cakes are really time-consuming, and we wanted to be able to focus on best preparing the program participants for multiple kinds of food service."
The program curriculum will include training for baking, hygienic practices, food preparation and cleaning in a commercial kitchen.
Randy Sams' officials are working with bakery owners in the community to tailor its curriculum.
"We really want to find out what they're looking for in employees so we can provide those specific skills," Laurent said.
There's space for four participants at one time.
The bakery was recently moved from the Collins Building, where it was temporarily housed, and will soon reopen at Randy Sams' new office at 803 Spruce St., Texarkana, Texas.
"We hope to be finished moving and have the certificate of occupancy by (today)," Laurent said. "We will still have cupcakes, cheesecakes, bread pudding and cookies available for preorder but the baked goods are a byproduct of what we're doing. We're training people. Our mission at Randy Sams' is to see people return to self-sustained community living and employment is a large part of that."
"Randy Sams' is now, and has always been, about serving our community. If we can provide a trained workforce, it's another way we can give back to a community that's given so much to us," Laurent said.
Be the Blessing Bakery job training program was started in February 2016.
Three program participants have found jobs because of the program, Laurent said.