Welcome to Baking Wellness

Baking Wellness believes in baking with purpose. We introduce youth to the therapeutic benefits of baking and empower them to identify personal strategies for managing mental health.

Our Mission

To provide educational and innovative baking lessons that support skill-building, meaningful relationships, and positive mental health outlets for youth.

Our Vision

Youth will have the skills, motivation, and confidence to develop into healthy, thriving young adults.

Our Values

Learning

We practice creativity and mindfulness in the kitchen while gaining real-world skills and experience.

Belonging

We prioritize inclusion, where everyone feels supported in their mental well-being and personal growth.

Joy

We encourage a low pressure learning environment that uplifts positivity, compassion, and joy.

Who We Serve

Baking Wellness serves youth ages 14-18. We encourage any young person interested in learning the art of baking to consider joining our program. We provide a welcoming environment that allows participants to unplug from daily stressors and come have fun in the kitchen.

This program may be a good fit if you:

  • Are interested in gaining kitchen experience for a future job or internship

  • Are looking for creative outlets for managing your mental health and wellness

  • Are looking for something fun to do on a weekend afternoon

  • Enjoy feeling part of a team and community building

A Note from the Founder

Hi there!

Thank you for your interest in Baking Wellness. I'm Angela, an avid baker who finds joy in the kitchen—a passion passed down from my mom and grandma. My love for baking began when my mom gifted me my first stand mixer in college. Baking became especially impactful while I was working full-time in AmeriCorps and attending graduate school. During this time, I discovered my dream of creating a youth-led baking organization to share the benefits of baking with others.

I have a diverse background in food service and youth instruction, working with kids of all ages in various settings. My credentials include a B.S. in Human Development from UC Davis, a Masters in Public Health from the University of San Francisco, certification in Mental Health First Aid, and extensive training in harm reduction and trauma-informed care. You can learn more about my experiences on LinkedIn.

I am so excited to bring this program to the community and I appreciate your support! Feel free to reach out with any questions.

Thank you,

Angela Guidici (she/her)
Founder & Program Director, Baking Wellness

Angela Guidici – Founder of Baking Wellness

FAQs

  • Each class occurs on Sundays from 2-4pm at Piedmont Community Church kitchen.

  • Each baking session is eight (8) weeks long and each class is two (2) hours in length.

  • Youth who are enrolled in the 8-week session are expected to attend each week. We do not offer drop-in classes at this time.

  • We accept six (6) youth per session. As a beginning program, we are learning how many youth in the kitchen feels best and will make adjustments as needed when we grow as an organization.

  • Baking Wellness is available to any youth and is therefore not exclusively for Piedmont teens. Youth who live in Oakland or do not attend Piedmont High School are encouraged to apply.

  • The enrollment fee greatly supports program costs, including baking tools, ingredients, cleaning supplies, and aprons. It also goes toward each participant’s California Food Handler Certification.

  • Participants will take home baked goods to share! We are also brainstorming ways to use the baked goods for promotion and sales in the future— stay tuned!

  • Yes, Baking Wellness focuses on positive youth development and social emotional learning– two evidence based frameworks that guide teaching youth in a group setting.

  • We understand schedules are busy and things come up! If a youth is enrolled in the program and needs to miss a class, please let us know as soon as possible. If you know that you will be missing more than one (1) class in a session, please consider applying to a future session.

  • We are a new organization with hopes of expansion! Our Sunday fall session is the only session offered at this time.

    Please check our website or follow us on Instagram for regular updates on future sessions. You can also reach out via email for more information as the year goes on!