Bend couple makes hundreds of bread kits each week for those in need

Klaus and Janet Mager use their talents as former professional chefs to assist Central Oregonians

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- With the help of some volunteers, Klaus and Janet Mager of Bend turn 1,200 pounds of flour into hundreds of bread kits every week for those in need.

It's called Baking Bread For All, and what started as a small operation has turned into a  non-profit. The idea started when so many people began losing their job due to the pandemic, and paying for food became a struggle for some in Central Oregon.

"People really need to stretch their money, and this is one way of doing it where you still eat well, it's a feel-good food and it keeps you healthy," Klaus said.

In each bread kit, you'll find nine cups of flour for three loaves of bread, two teaspoons of yeast (which can make up to eight loaves of bread) and a recipe card for families to bake loaves of homemade artisan bread.

The Magers are now working with a number of local nonprofits and food banks, like NeighborImpact in Redmond and the St. Vincent de Paul food bank in Bend.

Klaus is a former professional chef who also worked as the director of food service at Disney, while Janet used to own a restaurant and was the director of a culinary school.

Even with their background in food, this is the first time either of them have made bread kits in such large quantities.

The Magers said they spend about $1,000 a month of their own money to make the bread kits. But Klaus said seeing the reaction from Central Oregonians when they receive bread kits make all the hard work worth it.

"There were so many emotional moments, where people got emotionally touched by this, because bread is the oldest processed food in the world," Klaus said. "It's 14,000 years old. We have been baking bread our entire culture."

If you're interested in donating to their cause or information on how you could get a bread kit, you can find information on their website here.