A fresh hobby that gained traction during the COVID-19 pandemic will support a couple of programs and services offered through the United Way of Chatham-Kent.
A 21-year-old Chatham man has taken his new hobby of baking bread and turned it into a fundraiser.
William Shepherd will soon return home for the holidays from the University of Waterloo, during which time he plans on baking bread for a now sold-out bread sale.
"Spending a lot more time at home allowed me to get creative in the kitchen. I've always loved cooking and [I] worked at a restaurant on my campus for a few months, but I had never tried baking bread before," said Shepherd in a statement. "Early this summer, I started experimenting making bread in my mom's kitchen and I instantly fell in love with it."
The University student said he wanted to help the community in some way while he was at home in December.
“The community of Chatham helped shape me into the person I am today. In trying times like these, it is important that we look out for each other," he said. "So, I decided I would give a shot at running a small-scale bread operation in which I would give 20 per cent of my proceeds to a local charity."
Shepherd chose to directly support the United Way's hunger and mental health-related programs in Chatham-Kent.
Although pre-orders for the bread sale have sold-out, cash donations for the fundraiser are still being accepted.
More information about Shepherd's fundraiser can be found on his social media pages @bakingwithwill.
