BREAD

What BREAD does

BREAD (Birmingham Regional Empowerment and Development Center, Inc.) is an Alabama-based 501(c)-style nonprofit organization founded in December 2003 as an outgrowth of programs started by Bethel Baptist Church, Pratt City. It operates a 21st Century Community Learning Center model providing after-school and summer academic enrichment programming to at-risk youth, with adjacent adult education and health initiatives serving parents and community members. Headcount sits in the 11–50 range, led by Executive Director Cynthia Givan and Program Director Iris McMillan, with a Board of Directors chaired by Pastor T.L. Lewis.

Service delivery is school-based and in-person: BREAD runs year-round, Monday-through-Friday programming at five Birmingham City Schools (Glen Iris Elementary, Norwood, Martha Gaskins, Wilkerson Middle, and Empower Community in Bessemer), supplemented by an annual Bread Summer Camp (May 27 – June 30). The core service portfolio includes academic enrichment (reading/language arts, STEM, robotics, homework help), character education, computer skills, cooking, gardening, and structured summer enrichment (arts, dance, drama, exercise, field trips, mentoring). No proprietary technology platform underpins delivery; infrastructure is a WordPress-based website plus social media and email newsletter outreach.

The business model is government-grant dependent. Primary funding has come from the Alabama Department of Education (ALSDE) for approximately twenty years under the 21st Century Community Learning Center framework, with secondary contracts as a Birmingham City Schools vendor (selected summer 2022) and program delivery for the Jefferson County School System. BREAD augments this with a partner ecosystem of 18+ community organizations and modest individual donations via its website. Revenue is not publicly disclosed. The organization carries no debt, no subsidiaries, and no parent company, and is recognized as a state-level leader following its October 2007 receipt of the first ALSDE Excellence in Extended Day and Extended Year Award.

Name

BREAD

Legal name

Birmingham Regional Empowerment and Development Center, Inc.

Website

https://breadcenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

BREAD is a Birmingham, Alabama-based nonprofit 21st Century Community Learning Center providing year-round after-school and summer academic enrichment to at-risk youth at five partner schools, primarily funded by the Alabama Department of Education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: Primary funding from Alabama Department of Education (ALSDE) for the past twenty years, serving both Birmingham City and Jefferson County School Systems.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

BREAD operates as a 21st Century Community Learning Center providing year-round after-school and summer academic enrichment programs to at-risk youth in Birmingham, Alabama. Core services include STEM education, character education, robotics, reading/language arts, gardening, cooking, computer skills, and summer camp programming delivered at five Birmingham City Schools Monday through Friday. The organization also offers adult education and health initiatives for parents and community members.

Product overview

BREAD (Birmingham Regional Empowerment and Development Center) is a 21st Century Community Learning Center offering educational enrichment programs. The organization provides a unified service portfolio centered on after-school and summer enrichment for at-risk youth, parents, and community members. Core offerings include the After School Program featuring academic support, STEM, robotics, and character education; the Summer Enrichment Program with arts, science experiments, and field trips; Bread Summer Camp running May-June; and School Year Programs at partner Birmingham schools. Adult education and health initiatives round out the service offerings. All programs aim to prevent learning loss and develop talents through structured enrichment activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• After School Program
• Summer Enrichment Program
• Bread Summer Camp
• School Year Program
• Adult Education

Quantifiable outcome

• 21st Century Community Learning Center model recognized as award-winning by Alabama State Department of Education
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• AARP AlabamaminorOthersCommunity partner providing support for BREAD's students and organization. Part of the partner network acknowledging continued support.
• Alabama Afterschool Community Network (ALACN)coreOthersState-level afterschool network supporting quality afterschool programs in Alabama.
• Alabama Community Education Association (ACEA)minorOthersState association supporting community education initiatives.
• Alabama Cooperative Extension SystemcoreOthersExtension services providing educational programs and resources to Alabama communities.
• Alabama Department of Public HealthcoreOthersHealth department partner supporting health initiatives for BREAD students and families.
• Alabama Wildlife and Fisheries DepartmentminorOthersProvides educational programs related to wildlife and fisheries for students.
• Bethel Baptist Church, Pratt CitycoreOthersFounding partner - BREAD is an outgrowth of programs started by Bethel Baptist Church, Pratt City. Church provides ongoing community support.
• Birmingham Fire and RescueminorOthersLocal public safety partner providing educational support and community engagement.
• Birmingham Parks and RecreationcoreOthersCity partner providing recreational facilities and programs for BREAD activities.
• Birmingham Public Library, Pratt CitycoreOthersLibrary partner providing educational resources and programming support.
• Birmingham STEM AmeriCorpscoreOthersSTEM education support through AmeriCorps program providing trained volunteers and resources.
• City of Birmingham Stormwater ManagementminorOthersCity department partner providing environmental education and support.
• Dynamic AdventuresminorOthersAdventure programming partner for summer and enrichment activities.
• Jones Valley Teaching FarmcoreOthersAgricultural education partner supporting gardening and healthy eating programs for students.
• Junior AchievementcoreOthersNational organization providing entrepreneurship and career readiness programs for youth.
• Mayor's Office Division of Youth ServicescoreOthersCity of Birmingham partner providing youth services support and resources.
• School Transportation Services (STS)coreOthersTransportation partner providing bus services for student transportation to BREAD programs.
• UAB Children's Creative Learning CentercoreOthersUniversity partner providing educational expertise, resources, and childcare connections.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• After-School All-Stars: National nonprofit operating school-based extended-day programming for at-risk youth in multiple U.S. cities; comparable in mission, delivery model, and dependence on school district partnerships.
• Horizons National Student Enrichment: National network running summer academic enrichment programs explicitly aimed at preventing summer learning loss for underserved students — a near-direct comparison to BREAD's Summer Enrichment Program and Bread Summer Camp.
• YMCA of Greater Birmingham: Direct peer providing after-school care, summer camps, and youth enrichment across the Birmingham region with comparable school-based delivery and tuition/subsidy model.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Birmingham: Direct peer serving at-risk youth in Birmingham through structured mentoring and enrichment programs, often funded through similar state education and United Way channels.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Alabama: Direct peer operating after-school, summer, and youth development programming in the Birmingham metro, often serving the same at-risk youth population and competing for overlapping school district and philanthropic funding.
• Junior Achievement of Alabama: Existing BREAD partner that delivers youth-focused education (financial literacy, career readiness) inside Birmingham schools; comparable in delivery channel, target audience, and school-district contracting model.

Broad incumbents

• Children's Aid Society: Established multi-service nonprofit running after-school, summer, and family programming for low-income youth; comparable in mission and operating model but at significantly larger scale and broader scope.
• United Way of Central Alabama: Broader incumbent that funnels donor dollars to many of the same youth-serving nonprofits in Birmingham; comparable as an ecosystem player but operates a portfolio model rather than direct service.
• 21st Century Community Learning Centers (federal program): Federal funding framework under which BREAD operates; comparable as the incumbent policy/funder ecosystem that defines eligibility, compliance, and competitive dynamics for BREAD and similar grantees.

Regional players

• Birmingham Education Foundation: Regional peer mobilizing resources for Birmingham City Schools; operates in the same district funding environment and is a likely collaborator or competitor for school-level enrichment contracts.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BREAD.Center
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/birmingham-regional-empowerment-and-development-center-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BREAD