The South African Whole Grain Bread Project is dedicated to improving the physical health and social well-being of the poor, unemployed and HIV/AIDS infected citizens of South Africa by establishing community-run "containerized" micro bakeries which produce fresh, high quality, whole grain breads. Read More >
Donations for the South African Whole Grain Bread Project are accepted through Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids, which provides a pass-through service for gifts to SAWGBP without charge. Contributions to SAWGBP are fully tax deductible. Please follow the link below.
The South African Whole Grain Bread Project is a business developed by entrepreneurs Dan Leader of Bread Alone, a European style bakery chain nestled in the Catskill Mountains of New York State, retired physician Neil Ratner and his wife, Leann Ratner. Daniel Leader, a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, has worked in the food service business for more than 30 years as a chef, food service manager, and bakery owner. In addition, he has taught baking and bakery management for more than 10 years at The Culinary Institute of America, The French Culinary Institute, and The Institute for Culinary Education where he is on the Chef's Advisory Board. Mr. Leader's consulting experience includes Wegman's Supermarkets, H.E.B., Stew Leonard's, and Pick 'n Pay, South Africa's largest retailer.
The Ratners, recent arrivals in the Catskills, had a long history of lending their talents to the African continent. They had done everything from running bush clinics for the Samburu people of Northern Kenya to helping raise money for the Nelson Mandela's childrens fund in South Africa. In addition, Dr. Ratner, a retired Anesthesiologist, was an integral part of a team which went to Kenya after the American Embassy bombing and operated on over 300 injured Kenyan's.