For one evening, many of the people who have been part of Breadcoin’s story were in the same room. Around 120 guests came together at Dock5 at Union Market to celebrate our 10th anniversary. Some have been with Breadcoin for years. Others have volunteered, donated, partnered with us, accepted Breadcoin at their businesses, or found their own way to be part of the work.
As Jayne Cabigas, Breadcoin’s Executive Director for Florida, described it, watching the room come together during setup was “like watching an empty room fill with hospitality.” By the time the celebration began, it felt full in every sense.
Of course, there was food. Breadcoin vendors were at the center of the evening, serving tastes from their menus throughout the room. Guests received Breadcoins to spend and could decide for themselves what they wanted to try. J&J Mex-Taqueria served tacos and quesadillas, Open Crumb brought jollof rice and suya chicken, Our Paradise Garden served salmon sliders and Jamaican beef patties, and Casa Mia offered panini, gelato, and sorbet. There were wings and crab nachos from Dionne’s Good Food, desserts from Peach Cobbler Factory and Donna Faye’s Bakery, and drinks from D&B Deli and Kbird Bar.
Having the vendors there also made the Breadcoin model visible in a very simple way. Everyone had Breadcoins in their hands, made their own choices, and met some of the local businesses that make the system work every day.
Looking back at Breadcoin’s first decade also showed just how much has changed. Breadcoin founder and CEO Scott Borger shared one number that put the growth into perspective: the number of Breadcoins redeemed last month alone was as high as the number redeemed during Breadcoin’s first three years combined.
But much of the evening was about the people behind that growth: “You are all in this group that makes a difference in the community,” Scott told the room. “And I want to thank you.” He also spoke about the vendors who care for their communities and thanked the Breadcoin team for the work it takes to bring Breadcoin into those communities. Many of the people he was talking about were right there in the room.
The celebration raised over $15,000 for Breadcoin, helping carry the work into its next chapter.
Ten years is a big milestone, and it was good to stop for an evening and enjoy it together. Thank you to everyone who celebrated with us and to everyone who has been part of getting Breadcoin this far.
Photos: Austin Garcia, Daniela Berheide
