RECIPE FOR SUCCESS
Muhammad and Claudia
A local bakery mixes flavors from around the globe
Inside Hewn Bakery, you’ll discover baked goods made in-house and from scratch—the tasty reasons this Evanston business has been named one of the best bakeries in the country.
But you likely won’t see two of the key ingredients to Hewn’s success: employees hired through RefugeeOne.
“They come in with such a positive attitude and willingness to learn. Everyone loves them in the bakery,” says Julie Matthei, who co-founded Hewn Bakery with Ellen King.
In 2024, Hewn hired two refugees as dishwashers who had resettled to the Chicago area through RefugeeOne—Claudia from Nicaragua and Muhammad from Pakistan. According to Ellen, “they just know how to work, and they’re part of the team now.”
Both Claudia and Muhammad escaped danger in their homelands, seeking safety and a new start in America. “It took drive to get here, so it’s not surprising they have drive once they’re here,” says Julie.
While Claudia and Muhammad aren’t hand-shaping the bread, they’re an integral part of the mix at this bakery. Ellen sums up their impact by focusing on the humble yet hard-working sheet pan. If the bakery runs out of clean ones, the entire baking process shuts down. No country bread, no scones, no flaky croissants! From the bosses’ perspective, these diligent dishwashers keep the bakehouse in business.
Before Hewn turned to the RefugeeOne job placement team, they spent two years struggling to hire, even while offering $17 an hour plus health care.
“I would tell any business to take a chance on someone who’s going through RefugeeOne programs because they’re set up for success with the support of the organization,” says Julie. That setup for success includes English classes, cultural orientation, job readiness classes, mental health support, even lessons in how to take the bus to work. Plus, the RefugeeOne Workforce Development Team keeps in contact after refugees start their jobs, providing support as needed.
The Hewn team adheres to the long-standing American value that opening our doors and hearts not only helps the individual seeking refuge but enriches the lives of so many others.
“We’re a country that needs hard-working employees and strong communities,” Ellen says, “it starts with realizing that every person you see is a person that has something to offer your business, your community, your family.”
In their baking, Hewn places an emphasis on local ingredients. But when it comes to creating a more vital community, their recipe blends flavors from around the globe.
Need dependable employees like Muhammad and Claudia at your business?
RefugeeOne’s employment program will connect you to a large pool of fully authorized job seekers with diverse skills, backgrounds, and language abilities.