DC has a strong nonprofit sector and volunteer initiatives. So much so that you might be helping a cause without even knowing it. Here we highlight a coffee shop that is doing more than just meeting your need of strong caffeine and tasty treats.
THE BAKERY
The clean, white, open space of this bakery and coffee shop tucked away on Grace Street makes for a peaceful atmosphere for doing work or catching up with a friend. We love stopping in Dog Tag for our go-to breakfast of a homemade lemonade and their Morning Glory muffin— a healthy mix of flax seeds, raisin, and carrots. What keeps us coming back, however, is the fact that by patroning the store we’re helping sustain an initiative to put veterans back into the workforce.
THE GOAL
The bakery is the face and storefront of Dog Tag Inc, a nonprofit with a mission to provide education and work experience to help vets succeed in their civilian lives post-duty. Started in 2014, the fellowship program teaches returning soldiers small business skills through the Georgetown School of Continuing Studies. “Throughout the course, we put what they learned from the classroom into the hands-on experience here in the bakery,” says Kyle Burns, Senior Program Director, in a recent article by the Department of Defense. Besides learning to whip up tasty treats, their getting an understanding of inventory, accounting, marketing and management. The vets even work on resume building and interview preparation.
The fellowship spans 5 months for each participant; and the students walk away with valuable experience and knowledge to help them succeed in civilian life. So, next time you’re out on a stroll through Georgetown, pop into Dog Tag to support a worthy cause.
image @dogtagbakery