Walking through King Soopers or Whole Foods, you may see packages of 10-bean soup mix labeled Women’s Bean Project. Though relatively unassuming, each bag tells a story of hope, resilience, and a fresh start.
It began with $500 and a vision. After volunteering in a women’s shelter in Denver, social worker Jossy Eyre realized that the safety the shelter provided couldn’t change lives on its own. So, in 1989, she hired two women to sell that same 10-bean soup mix. In the first year, they generated $6,000 in revenue, growing the company twelvefold and proving how life-changing a job opportunity can be.
Jossy would go on to turn that momentum into the Women’s Bean Project, a nonprofit that “transforms lives through employment, education, and wraparound social support,” says chief executive officer Shelby Mattingly. The model is simple but powerful: women earn a paycheck in the food production operation while also spending (paid) time in classes that build confidence and practical skills. The goal isn’t just to help someone land a job, Shelby notes, but to help her keep it—and build a life around it.
That’s why the program goes far beyond work hours on the production floor. Women take classes in computer skills and financial literacy and participate in trauma-informed workshops that, according to a 2023 report, reduced PTSD symptoms by an astonishing 73 percent. It’s all designed to give women not only stability today but tools for the long term.
Which brings us back to those bags on the shelf. Every product is part of that process— both a work opportunity for the women making it and a revenue stream that keeps the mission humming. And there’s plenty to choose from: baking mixes, herb blends, snacks, dog treats—and, of course, that iconic 10-bean soup mix. You can find them online, at King Soopers and Whole Foods, or at their Alameda storefront.
But food sales keep the lights on, not much more. So if you want to go further, you can make a one-time donation or explore other ways to give on their website. Every purchase and every gift helps someone build a better future, one bowl of soup (or batch of brownies) at a time.
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