Heleen Boshoff
Nestling their bakery in a bigger space on the Alta du Toit Centre’s premises in Boston, Down with Dough whipped up a relaunch, not only continuing to offer blissful baked goods, but also employment and purpose to its special members.
Down with Dough, established in 2019, aims to upskill young adults with intellectual disabilities. Its programme encourages a life of appropriate independence, and they are equipped for meaningful work placement.
Relocated and relaunched
The re-opening was held on Thursday 20 March at 80 Lincoln Street in Bellville, welcoming their established clientele, fellow community members and their new, passionate partners at the Alta du Toit Care Centre for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities.
Down with Dough currently employs eight support staff, with 11 members identifying as employees with special needs. “We basically started Down with Dough when my son Joshua had left school, and we realised there’s not much for him or anyone else with special needs to do,” shared founder and director Lynne Rutherfoord.
Joshua said he is overjoyed to have found a more permanent home for the bakery. “I am the manager and the face of the business. I feel happy for being at the Alta Centre and excited because I have a friend that actually lives at Alta!”
Rutherfoord and her husband John have since replicated an employment model from Work4You, a NPO in Cape Town that trains people with intellectual disabilities.
“We started a replication of its programme in the suburbs. We’ve been operating since then, and we prevailed right through Covid and have kept the business going.”
Baking in a fun, safe environment
Down with Dough produces quality, gluten-free baked goods – from breads to muffins, brownies and dog treats – forming part of their employment programme. This process includes various assessments and exposure in different environments to source suitable work opportunities.
“We strive to provide varied possibilities for our young adults to keep them stimulated and included in a safe, friendly and social environment,” said the operations manager, Marcelle O’Brian.
As the bakery grew, with more members and staff, the Rutherfoord soon realised that the space was getting a bit small.
Said Lynne: “And so, we were introduced to Nelis Janse van Rensburg, a pastor at the Dutch Reformed church in Welgemoed. He came around to have a look at our bakery, we had a serious chat and he said to me: ‘Lynne, what do you guys need?’”
Not able to sustain expensive rental costs for suitable premises, the Alta du Toit Centre wasted no time in offering a bigger space to keep them shaking and baking.
“We are just so appreciative of the fact that the centre extended a hand,” Rutherfoord said, “and said they would like to help and partner with us. Apart from a few teething problems, it’s been really, really good, and we’re excited about the next phase and what it holds for Down with Dough.”
A testimony to spirit
Janse van Rensburg, who also serves as chair of the Alta du Toit board, expressed tears relating how he wished to write an account of what he witnessed on a visit to this special enterprise.
“What I first saw when I entered Down with Dough was that the Holy Spirit is living here among its founders, to have elevated their lives to a new level of service and dedication to people who need our meticulous attention and dedication and involvement in their lives. I immediately felt a huge attraction to that experience.”
The manager of the Alta du Toit Centre, Johan Jacobs, told TygerBurger what a privilege it is to be in this new partnership: “We have a fostered a mutually-beneficial relationship, in which Down with Dough also considers our very own residents at Alta to work with it. And we look forward to this growing relationship and promising future.”
The public is called to get involved by ways of ordering their baked treats, general funding, volunteering, delivery assistance or ambassadorships.
To place an order with Down with Dough or learn more, call or send a WhatsApp to 063 112 0078 or send an email to hello@downwithdough.co.za
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