JustDane

Name

JustDane

Legal name

JustDane

Website

https://justdane.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Services

NAICS

Baked Goods Retailers (445291), Commercial Bakeries (311812), Retail Bakeries (311811)

SIC

Bakery Products (2050)

akta.pro primary industry

Bread & Pastry Specialty Stores (CRAHAGAC)

Keywords

• Social services nonprofit
• Reentry support programs
• Vocational training services
• Recuperative care shelter
• Community justice programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from individuals, congregations, and organizations supporting social justice programs
2. Bakery Product Sales: Commercial bakery operations selling breads, pastries, cookies, and specialty items. All proceeds reinvested into the vocational training program and allow hiring of graduates
3. Government Contracts and Grants: Contracts with City of Madison and Dane County for reentry peer support services; grants from foundations including TruStage Foundation, Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation, CDC
4. Fiscal Agency Services: Serves as fiscal agent for other organizations including Bleed Shamelessly and Moms on a Mission (MOMs)

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

JustDane is a 501(c)(3) non-profit social justice agency that delivers an integrated portfolio of programs to justice-involved individuals, homeless families, and youth with incarcerated parents across Dane County, Wisconsin. Core offerings include vocational training via a commercial baking social enterprise (Just Bakery), a medical recuperative shelter for homeless families (Healing House), state-certified peer support for formerly incarcerated individuals, volunteer-based reentry mentorship (Circles of Support), youth mentoring programs (Just Connections), reentry simulation workshops, and rapid rehousing rental assistance. The Just Bakery retail operation funds the broader mission by selling baked goods directly to consumers with proceeds reinvested into programming.

Product overview

JustDane is a non-profit 501(c)(3) social justice/social service agency offering a portfolio of interconnected programs focused on transforming individual lives to create a just and equitable community. The core programs include: (1) Just Bakery - an educational and vocational training program combining classroom instruction (using National Restaurant Association's ManageFirst curriculum) with hands-on commercial kitchen experience, producing retail baked goods; (2) Healing House - a medical recuperative shelter for homeless families; (3) Peer Support - state-certified peer support for formerly incarcerated individuals; (4) Circles of Support - volunteer-based reentry mentorship; (5) Journey Home - recidivism reduction through comprehensive reentry services; (6) Just Connections - youth mentoring programs; (7) Reentry Simulations - educational community experiences; (8) JustDialogue - community dialogue programs; and (9) Rapid Rehousing - rental assistance for justice-involved unhoused individuals. The Just Bakery retail operation generates revenue that funds the broader mission, demonstrating a social enterprise model where commercial products support social impact programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Just Bakery: Educational and vocational training program for individuals experiencing significant barriers to employment (homelessness, criminal conviction history, lack of education, and/or lack of work history or skills).
• Healing House
• Just Connections
• Circles of Support
• Journey Home

Products and services

• Just Bakery Vocational Training Program An educational and vocational training program that teaches hospitality and restaurant management, nutrition, food safety (ServSafe), and baking skills to individuals experiencing barriers to employment such as homelessness, criminal conviction history, lack of education, or lack of work history. Students can earn up to 15 college credits and gain automatic acceptance into Madison College Culinary Program through the National Restaurant Association ManageFirst curriculum.
• Just Bakery Retail Baked Goods Commercial bakery products including breads, pastries, cookies, cakes, pies, and specialty items sold to the public through the Just Bakery storefront, e-commerce website, and farmers markets. Products include vegan and gluten-sensitive options. All proceeds are reinvested into the Just Bakery training program.
• Healing House A recuperative care shelter for families experiencing homelessness, providing a safe, nurturing place for families to heal when an immediate family member needs to recover prior to or following a medical procedure or hospitalization. Guests receive three nutritious meals daily, access to childcare support, and case management services.
• Peer Support State-certified peer support service for formerly incarcerated individuals that helps them find success in life while making the community safer. Includes one-to-one support, recovery goal development, crisis support, and social/recreational activity facilitation. The program expanded in 2022 with The Caminos Bilingual Certified Peer Specialist trainings in partnership with Centro Hispano.
• Circles of Support A reentry program connecting community volunteers with individuals recently released from incarceration. Volunteers provide mentorship, encouragement, and guidance as Core Team Members work toward personal goals and reintegrate into their communities. Teams meet weekly for 6-9 months.
• Journey Home A reentry program focused on reducing recidivism by creating a stronger, safer community for those returning from prison. Addresses residency, employment, support and treatment, transportation, and education.
• Just Connections Youth programs including Mentoring Connections (mentoring youth ages 4-17 with parental incarceration), Family Connections (transportation for children to visit incarcerated parents), Reading Connections (volunteers record incarcerated parents reading books to children), and Drive to Succeed (mentorship for youth aged 17.5-24 with justice involvement).
• Reentry Simulations Educational simulations that provide eye-opening experiences to help community members understand the challenges faced by formerly incarcerated individuals. Available for groups, organizations, and educational institutions.
• JustDialogue Community dialogue programs creating space for conversations on social justice topics, restorative justice, and community healing. Holds periodic dialogue sessions and publishes a newsletter.
• Rapid Rehousing Rental assistance program offering up to two years of support for unhoused individuals with criminal justice involvement. The only Rapid Rehousing program in Dane County specifically focused on this population.

Quantifiable outcome

• 9-15% 2-year recidivism rate vs 67% Wisconsin state average
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Centro HispanocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partnership to start The Caminos Bilingual Certified Peer Specialist trainings, providing Peer Support trainings unique to the Latinx community of Dane County. Also expanded Peer Support program in conjunction with Centro Hispano.
• Employ Milwaukee Inc.minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2022Partnership to provide regular Reentry 2024-50 Years Simulations and lunch & learns, as well as the Just Workplace initiative
• Operation Fresh StartcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partnership to create Drive to Succeed program offering mentoring, educational support, and Driver License attainment to youth with justice system involvement
• Madison CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Collaboration to develop Just Bakery vocational training program. Madison College provides educational curriculum and articulation agreement allowing graduates up to 15 college credits and automatic acceptance into the Culinary Program.
• United Way of Dane CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSelected by United Way in 2005 to provide reentry services through The Journey Home initiative, a signature program addressing recidivism
• National Restaurant AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvider of ManageFirst curriculum used in Just Bakery training program, teaching hospitality and restaurant management, supervision, cost control, nutrition, accounting and ServSafe

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Bread Project: Berkeley, CA-based nonprofit bakery providing job-readiness training and employment placement for people experiencing homelessness, incarceration, and other barriers. Closely comparable in scope and mission to Just Bakery's vocational training model.
• Emma's Torch: Brooklyn, NY-based nonprofit culinary training program for refugees and survivors of human trafficking. Combines a paid culinary apprenticeship with restaurant placement in a model comparable to JustDane's training-plus-employment approach.
• Homeboy Industries: Los Angeles-based nonprofit that operates a portfolio of social enterprises (bakery, café, silkscreen, merchandise) providing employment and reentry support to formerly incarcerated and gang-involved individuals. JustDane's Just Bakery and reentry programs closely mirror this social enterprise + reentry model.
• DC Central Kitchen: Washington DC-based nonprofit that combines large-scale food production (school meals, catering) with culinary job training for adults facing barriers to employment. Mirrors JustDane's combination of food production as a vocational training vehicle.
• Hot Bread Kitchen: NYC-based nonprofit bakery that provides workforce training and small-business incubation for low-income women and immigrants. Combines commercial bakery production with culinary training in the same integrated model as JustDane's Just Bakery.
• Center for Employment Opportunities: National nonprofit providing immediate employment placement and ongoing support to people returning from incarceration. Comparable in its evidence-based reentry employment model and focus on measurable outcomes for the justice-involved population JustDane serves.
• Greyston Bakery: Yonkers, NY-based commercial bakery famous for its 'Open Hiring' model that employs people facing barriers to employment without interviews, background checks, or prerequisites. Operates a similar vocational training + commercial production model to Just Bakery.
• The Fortune Society: NYC-based nonprofit providing comprehensive reentry services including employment, housing, education, and health services to formerly incarcerated individuals. Mirrors JustDane's integrated reentry portfolio spanning Journey Home, Peer Support, and Circles of Support.

Emerging players

• Hope & Main: Rhode Island-based nonprofit food business incubator and commissary kitchen supporting early-stage food entrepreneurs, including those from underserved backgrounds. Adjacent to JustDane's bakery model in the food-entrepreneurship-development space.

Broad incumbents

• Catalyst Kitchens: National network of nonprofit food service social enterprises providing culinary training and employment to individuals facing barriers. Represents the broader network of organizations using food service as a vocational training platform, including JustDane as a peer member.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@justdane6470
• Facebookfacebook.com/JustDaneMadison
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/justdane
• Instagraminstagram.com/justdanemadison

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 JustDane