"More than learning how to bake, I want our youth to learn how to have a job," says Lisa Thompson, founder of Blue Sky Bakery. As Mayor Daley noted on Wednesday night, Chicago's chefs are wonderful citizens of the city. But rarely do we encounter an organization so perfectly positioned at the intersection of "serving great food" and "helping the world" as Thompson's Blue Sky Bakery. Blue Sky trains homeless and at-risk youth to become bakers, helps them learn to hold down a job, pays them a good wage and supports their education. The youth staff the bakery's retail establishment, work at farmers markets and get a real connection to the products that they create - and often go on to brighter futures. more ›

Any moment now, Blue Sky Inn will open the doors to its new bakery and café. Located at 4749 N. Albany in Albany Park, the bakery will serve as another extension for the non-profit organization's mission of providing creative, recreational and educational activities to at-risk youth. We dropped in Saturday to take a look. more ›