STORY

Changing Lives, One Cupcake at a Time

HDR Foundation Grant Supports People Recovering from Traumatic Brain Injuries

The unique ingredient at Sarah Bellum's Bakery and Workshop is the people.

The bakers are volunteers who experienced a traumatic brain injury (TBI), while the staff are speech language pathologists and occupational therapists. This unique recipe gives people who've suffered an accident, stroke, tumor or illness a chance to rebuild their lives.

A $7,000 HDR Foundation grant to Sarah Bellum's Bakery funded the purchase of equipment for the baking kitchen run by individuals with disabilities.

In addition to helping people build new skills and employment opportunities, working at the bakery creates a new community for people who've experienced a TBI.

Sue Casey, who retired from HDR in August 2025 after seven years as an administrative coordinator in the Portland office, became familiar with the bakery from ordering cupcakes for office events. As she watched her husband develop epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease and likely chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) — as a result of head injuries suffered on the football field — the mission at Sarah Bellum's took on greater meaning.

Sue sponsored an HDR Foundation grant to replace old mixers and purchase a new freezer for the bakery, improving the experience for bakers and expanding the production capability.

“I've never felt so proud to be a part of HDR as I did working on this grant,” she said. “There aren't a lot of companies out there that I believe help the community as much as HDR.”