Tucked away in the back of the Hayden Super 1 Shopping Center is The Village Bakery. Its four-year presence has been a rock of strength and acceptance for the special needs community, providing meaningful employment and hands-on training.
“We are more of a school and teaching, not only baking skills, but also life skills that our special needs workers will be able to take with them on their journey,” Dana Bellefeuille said. She and her husband, Todd, a Spokane Valley firefighter, own the North Idaho business, which is much more than a place to buy eats and treats.
“It’s not just a bakery. It’s a bakery with a purpose,” Todd Bellefeuille said.
And that purpose hits close to home and touches their hearts deeply. Dana Bellefeuille herself struggled with dyslexia growing up. She and her husband raised a son and daughter with special needs who are living well in the area.
Navigating the real world
The Village Bakery’s mission of “transforming lives by empowering the special needs community” is a critical one for the success of this population, which often faces barriers entering the workforce and then significant hurdles retaining jobs.
According to 2024 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 70 million U.S. adults across the country have a disability, which is approximately one in four adults.
“We are talking about humans here, and a lot of them are on the autism spectrum,” Dana Bellefeuille explained. “We find out what do they want to do in life, what skills they want to work on and what they are drawn to in the bakery. Basically, what really lights their fire! It’s fun.”
Keeping the doors open
When asked how she got into the bakery business, Dana Bellefeuille smiled.
“It’s Todd’s fault. He got this brilliant idea when our babies were little that we could make a wedding cake for his sister,” she said. “I was hooked from that moment.” The rest is history.
The Village Bakery is surviving financially and thriving in its mission, but it “hasn’t been an easy journey” since they were handed the keys, they said. Neither of them takes a salary.
“The bakery industry is one of the hardest to keep open. Most of them fail in the first few years,” Todd Bellefeuille said.
His wife agreed and shared their challenges.
“Being open for four years now is stellar, [and] we have been able to pay all the bills, but [we’re] barely skating by,” Dana Bellefeuille added.
Creating a culture of care and value
Dana Bellefeuille oversees the daily operations and keeps the storefront doors open with 25 paid employees and countless volunteers by her side. She said approximately 90% of her workers have special needs and disabilities.
Six days a week
The Village Bakery welcomes employees, volunteers and customers to its doors for a dose of humanity, kindness and lots of smiles — acceptance and inclusion are its pillars of pride.
“I want people to be who they are here. Explore, not be afraid, feel welcomed,” she said. “There are not a lot of places in the world like this, but I’m hoping we can change that.”
She also wants to inspire and offer opportunities.
“We want to be that example of what can be. We have over 50,000 TikTok followers,” Dana Bellefeuille said. “We want to show parents what is possible — that there are places across the United States that will love and honor your child for who they are, and they will be part of something.”
Saving a life
Abigail Foster, a full-time volunteer at the bakery, can be described as Dana Bellefeuille’s key person. Foster has been by her side for about eight years now.
“I’ve worked here since the beginning,” Foster said. “I have been with Dana before the name was even chosen. I took her classes (in Dana Bellefeuille’s home), and that is how I really got to know her.”
Foster is a veteran and was medically discharged due to spine injuries. Meeting Dana Bellefeuille saved her life, Foster said.
“My life wasn’t going the way I wanted it to go. My spine is fusing into one piece. This mentally destroyed me. I was in a super, super dark place. It was just somewhere I didn’t want to be,” Foster said. “I was ready to jump off wherever I needed to jump off to go away. But I didn’t because of her.”
Foster continues to struggle with her depression, but Dana Bellefeuille is there each day with support.
“She always tells me, ‘You just need to come to work. It melts away the worries. Come here for the smell, laughs and smiles.’”
Her heart goes beyond the bakery
Dana Bellefeuille shared a story of a young man that came to her looking for a job.
“I was completely booked with people and didn’t have a job for him. But we sat down and had a meal and had a human-to-human conversation,” she said. “I thanked him for coming in. I told him I would let him know if anything opened up.”
A week later his grandparents stopped by, and they were crying. She asked how she could help. They thanked her for not hiring their grandson, explaining, however, that her talk with him had helped him feel valued and built up his courage. So the following week he went out and got a job at a pizza restaurant that he loves.
“That is what I want to do for everybody here — show them that they are valued, they are loved and they are needed in this world. And they have a place in society,” Dana Bellefeuille said.
Keeping positive momentum
As the story of The Village Bakery unfolds, the lives it continues to touch keep stacking up, much like the layers on one of her client-ordered cakes with its ornate designs, decorative frosting and mouth-pleasing flavors.
“Having the storefront here has saved multiple lives,” Dana Bellefeuille said.
She shared she firmly believes in the power of God and is a Christian.
“It has been incredible to watch people saved either physically from a physical problem or their emotional state by helping them find Jesus and peace through that process,” she said.
Dana Bellefeuille knows where she belongs, and it feeds her soul as well as others. She is grateful and humbled.
“It is incredible being in this space. I don’t want to be anywhere else,” she said. “I get a front row seat to watch miracles happen every day.”
To support The Village Bakery and their mission of transforming lives, visit their Hayden store (or go online) to purchase homemade food items, volunteer and/or donate.
The Village Bakery, 190 W. Hayden Ave., is located in Hayden, Idaho. It is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Find out more information on thevillagebakerycda.com or by calling 208-770-8733.