When SNAP benefits were temporarily suspended last November, Sarah Joy Hays—artist, baker, and owner of Counterspace Bakery—felt a familiar tug to help. Counterspace has long supported community fridges with leftover baked goods and regular meal donations, but Hays knew the model wouldn’t be sustainable long-term.
“As a small business, we have only so many hours of volunteer work and donations we can give before it becomes unsustainable,” she shares. “I really wanted to make it something we could do long-term, and starting a foundation was what made the most sense.”
Counterspace Foundation is a newly formed nonprofit rooted in food access, creativity, and empowering women to think differently about their futures.
With a background in nonprofit management, Hays understands both the heart and the logistics required to make meaningful giving last. Last year, the bakery gave away around $30,000 worth of cookies and products to events, teachers, and other causes. Through her leadership, the foundation has been able to create a pathway to continue saying “yes” to supporting the community.
At its core, the foundation focuses on feeding neighbors through weekly meal donations to the community fridge on Government Street. Despite consistent donations each week, the fridge is often bare, or nearly bare, highlighting the ongoing need.
“This is a need that doesn’t just exist at holidays. It’s not just when kids are on break and maybe aren’t getting their breakfast and lunches at school. It’s not just when it’s extra cold out. It’s year-round. People need to be fed and there’s always food insecurity,” she says.
Beyond the meals, Hays has plans to create a scholarship for those who are pursuing the arts and entrepreneurship. She hopes to partner with other artists and entrepreneurs to create named scholarships, starting small but intentional.
“Maybe it’s $500 or $1,000 to cover the cost of supplies if they’re pursuing an art degree, equipment if they’re pursuing something like design or photography, or maybe it’s to cover months of expenses while they do an internship. I would love to be in a place to send them off to pursue their career with a small amount of cash that could embolden them to make decisions without finance at the center of their decision making,” she says.
One of the foundation’s most affirming moments came during a hectic King Cake season. Hays recalls wanting everything organized so the foundation could better support the community, but feeling there were simply not enough hours in the day. “That same day, someone called the bakery and said, ‘Hey, I read about what you’re doing. I used to work as a line cook. I would love to help. What can I do?’ She came and she helped me inventory all the food that we had, she created a menu, and every Tuesday she comes in and helps either prep, organize, or package meals. It was just a really encouraging moment,” she explains.
Getting involved is simple. Volunteers can assemble sandwiches and package them, donate supplies or groceries, or contribute financially through the foundation’s online fundraising link. Every $50 donation translates into roughly 50–60 meals. However, every bit helps.
To follow along or get involved, community members can find updates on Instagram at @counterspacefoundation.
Hays encourages the community to check on their neighbors, use the resources they have, and think creatively about how they can help one another. Sometimes all it takes is a kitchen, a skillset, or the willingness to say yes.
