Women’s Bean Project

The Women’s Bean Project in Denver, Colorado looks like a simple business selling soup, but it’s more than that. It is an organization that provides women with the chance to be independent. It’s a fresh start for women that can give them hope and confidence.

Women's Bean Project Ten Bean Soup

The Women’s Bean Project is not only an organization but also a business. With the income the organization receives, they are able to pay women a steady wage as they work on their skills to develop abilities needed to obtain and keep a job. Women hired by WBP have histories of unemployment, poverty, and most of them do not have a high school diploma or GED.  The women in the program are recovering from experiences with substance abuse; some are single mothers who have been on public assistance. They need motivation and the confidence to make a better future for themselves and their families.

Margret, one of the women who went through the program was willing to change and help herself, and that is why she was hired. “I came out of a place where I felt people looked upon me as a “poor” person and someone who must struggle. These are the things I was familiar with and I blamed a lot of people for seeing me that way. I was angry about it and quick to physically attack anyone who made me angry…I want to be educated, get my GED and then go on to more education. I want to live in my own house with a mortgage where no one can tell me what to do. I want a job that I am good at and feel comfortable going to every day.”

The Women’s Bean Project is a social enterprise. They offer a job in food manufacturing that helps to provide them an immediate income while working on developing skills to graduate their program. “But the Women’s Bean Project does not hire women to make and sell bean products. We make and sell bean products to hire women.”

For Celena the Women’s Bean Project changed her life, “the training tracks in the program have taught me clerical skills that I will take with me when I leave. I can’t say enough about how good the Bean has been to me and how much it has changed my life. I am grateful to be given this chance.”

To donate or order food from the Women’s Bean Project, check out their website at womensbeanproject.com. If you order food make sure to type in our code “KEYUNIV12″ at checkout.