A Second Helping

In 2006, a woman checked in to a Burnsville shelter with all her possessions in a paper bag. It was her first step toward a better life. That’s when Women Helping Other Women, a Yancey County nonprofit, offered her a job baking for its company, which sells gourmet baked goods worldwide. Matella James, a retired Texan, founded the organization in 2005 to help struggling women in the county regain self-confidence. WHO Women has since employed 20 bakers and donated $6,000 in scholarships to ladies seeking educational advancement. But the benefit these women receive isn’t just monetary, James explains. “When I see someone who worked for us, who had zero self-esteem, transform into a confident woman, I find that gratifying.“

Feed the Cause: Shop online for WHO Women’s baked goods at www.whowomen.com, or call (828) 682-2330.