New bakery helping women after traumatic stress

ROCKFORD Ill. (WIFR) -- A new bakery is coming to town with a goal of helping women get back on their feet after a traumatic experience.

"As a survivor myself I know that gaining employment coming from recovery homes or other places that you live and your homeless that is the biggest reason we go back and we fail,” said Sherry Camp, founder of the bakery.

Camp is opening a bakery for anyone in need of the skills to have a full-time paying job.

"What we will have here is places where women or people can come and get job skills that are coming out of traumatic situations such as human trafficking, prostitution, loss of a loved one or incarceration,” said Camp.

Camp and others helping with the bakery have worked closely with local recovery homes to help women get back on track and this bakery is the next step.

"It's been incredible seeing these women open up and just embrace chance in their life. It's just absolutely been incredible,” said Jane Rennickey, volunteer for the bakery.

“This will lead to more doors opening for them. And they can be more successful in their life's,” said Camp.

Rennickey wants this bakery to bring awareness to human trafficking.

"Human trafficking when we think of it we think of the movies we've seen. We don't really think of our stateliness part in it. You know, that it's prostitution, it's women who are being used to do and make money for certain people against their will," said Rennickey.

Organizers believe this will make the community stronger.

“In order for a community to be successful, everyone needs to be a part of it. Not just certain people, not just people with money or people with job skills, even the people who don't have that .need to have the opportunity to become successful again,” said Camp.

If you are interested in helping out, founders are asking for monetary donations that can be dropped off at the bakery’s location at the corner of Church and Mulberry.