“Amplify Her Foundation’s trailblazing commitment to supporting women’s economic empowerment across ages, sectors, and communities is more important now than ever. The Foundation’s support enables Hot Bread Kitchen to help women who face barriers to economic opportunity launch and grow businesses in the food industry. Amplify Her’s steadfast partnership ensures that more than 100 New Yorkers annually have the opportunity to take part in Hot Bread Kitchen’s HBK Incubates program, building wealth for themselves and their communities through entrepreneurship in the vibrant food industry.”
— Leslie Abbey, CEO, Hot Bread Kitchen
MISSION
Hot Bread Kitchen’s mission is to create pathways to economic opportunity and power through career training, entrepreneurship and development in New York City’s food industry. Hot Bread Kitchen’s strength is in its uniqueness - there is currently no other women-serving organization in New York City providing both culinary workforce development and entrepreneurship support, while also providing in-depth wraparound services.
GRANT PURPOSE & IMPACT
Amplify Her Foundation is funding HBK Incubates, a food entrepreneurship program at Hot Bread Kitchen that nurtures the leadership and business development of women of color in New York City’s food economy. HBK Incubates supports entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey through four interconnected pillars: Seed, Start, Scale, and Cultivate.
Through Seed, aspiring entrepreneurs explore small business ownership, develop business plans, and gain mentorship while building confidence in their products and models. Start provides access to commercial kitchen space, technical assistance, markets, and peer networks that allow women to incubate their businesses in a supportive, resource-rich environment. As businesses grow, Scale offers tailored mentorship and connections to capital, preparing entrepreneurs for long-term sustainability and expansion. The newer Cultivate track helps women test and refine their business ideas through guided programming that connects them to buyers, partners, and broader markets.
Across all stages, HBK Incubates combines hands-on training with mentorship, peer learning, and access to opportunity. With Amplify Her Foundation’s support, the program strengthens economic mobility, ensures that women of color can see themselves as leaders in the food sector, and builds a more inclusive and resilient local economy.
