Since founding Bridge Bread Bakery in 2011, Fred and Sharon Domke have operated on a core truth: Homelessness is rarely caused by a single failure, but rather by ordinary life crises hitting extraordinary people who lack the financial safety net to weather them. Without resources, a minor setback becomes a spiral of losses that results in losing one’s home.
Social enterprises like Bridge Bread provide a critical first step: Restorative Employment. This gives formerly unhoused individuals a job, a community, and a paycheck.
However, the journey to stability doesn't end with a job offer. Even after securing housing and employment, these individuals often walk a financial tightrope. A broken-down car, a sudden medical bill, or a legal hurdle can threaten to undo months of hard-won progress.
In late 2025, following his retirement from daily operations at Bridge Bread, Fred Domke launched Advocates STL. This initiative is designed to be the safety net that restorative employment alone cannot provide.
Advocates STL pairs trained supervisors one-on-one with Bakers (and others in similar circumstances) to navigate the complexities of stabilizing their lives. Through a rigorous assessment process, Advocates STL provides targeted financial assistance and guidance to address crises before they result in a return to homelessness.
A crucial component of this initiative is the separation of "Employer" and "Support System."
Bridge Bread remains the employer, where Bakers proudly earn every penny of their paycheck. It is a "hand up, not a handout."
Advocates STL handles the charitable support, housing incentives, and crisis funding.
This distinction protects the dignity of the worker, allowing them to remain an employee based on merit, while still receiving the necessary charitable support to ensure long-term success.
To sustain this vital work, Fred and Sharon established a "Field-of-Interest" fund at the St. Louis Community Foundation. This fund is strictly dedicated to supporting and promoting housing and employment stability for St. Louisans who have recently secured employment after a period of homelessness.
Fred and Sharon have seeded this fund with a donation of appreciated stock, but the need across St. Louis is great. By donating to the Domke Stability and Opportunities Fund, you are not just giving money; you are stopping the spiral of loss and securing a future of independence for our neighbors.