Open Hearts Bakery

For residents of Morganton and the Western North Carolina region, Open Hearts Bakery is far more than just a place to buy freshly baked goods. It represents a powerful, decade-spanning community ministry built around the simple, honest craft of baking. Established in 2009 by members of St. Matthews United Methodist Church, the bakery operates under a profound philosophy best summarized by its vision: **“Bigger Than Bread!”** This unique social enterprise seamlessly blends high-quality, scratch-made baked goods with a deeply impactful mission of social outreach.

The core product line is vast, featuring a delightful array of traditional breads, decadent cakes, and comforting sweet treats, all following cherished recipes developed by retired professional baker Ophelia Hart. The quality is so consistently excellent that customer reviews frequently proclaim the bread to be the **“best bread I’ve ever had”**, even going so far as to claim that the bakery has **“ruined bread for me”** by setting an impossibly high standard for grocery store loaves. This level of quality has helped the bakery grow into a full-scale operation, generating sales that sometimes top more than $1,500 a week.

Crucially, its self-sustaining business model ensures that the majority of its financial success directly fuels its social mission. A staggering **80% of all profits go back into the community**, supporting missions and outreach projects both locally for children and internationally. Furthermore, the bakery serves as an essential employment ministry, providing part-time work for individuals in Morganton who are economically disadvantaged or facing barriers to employment. By choosing a loaf of sourdough or a slice of the legendary **blackberry wine cake**, North Carolina patrons are actively investing in local job creation and vital community projects.

The operational heart of the Open Hearts Bakery ministry is located in Morganton, North Carolina. While the primary base of operations is often associated with St. Matthews United Methodist Church, the business’s provided contact and mailing address is **201 Shady Rest Rd, Morganton, NC 28655, USA**. This address serves as the central hub for their baking, packaging, and organizational efforts, strategically placed for effective coordination within the Burke County area.

Unlike conventional storefront bakeries, Open Hearts Bakery brings its products directly to the North Carolina consumer, primarily through popular local venues. Their freshly baked items are regularly made available every **Friday at St. Matthews Church** itself, providing a direct collection point for local patrons. Furthermore, they are a consistent presence at local open-air markets, including the **Hickory Farmers Market every Wednesday and Saturday**, and are known to vend at up to five different farmers’ markets across the region from **April to October**. This strategy ensures broad accessibility for patrons across the Catawba Valley District, allowing customers to easily integrate purchasing their favorite baked goods into their weekly market visits.

Accessibility at their operational base is considered, with a **Wheelchair accessible parking lot** provided for those visiting the 201 Shady Rest Rd location for official business or pre-arranged takeouts. This commitment reflects the ministry’s overarching goal of inclusivity and making their exceptional products available to all members of the Morganton and Western NC communities.

Open Hearts Bakery operates with a focused set of services that maximize community impact and ensure the freshness and integrity of their products, which are run primarily by dedicated volunteers and paid staff members.

• **Takeout**: This provided service refers to the in-person collection of baked goods, primarily conducted through the scheduled sale days. This includes picking up pre-ordered items at the church or purchasing products directly from their staffed booths at local farmers' markets.
• **Seasonal Farmers Market Sales**: The core sales model involves the team baking and packaging products for weekly distribution at regional markets from **April to October**. This allows for face-to-face interaction and sale of their wide variety of items to the greater North Carolina public.
• **Special Order Fulfillment**: The bakery caters to specific customer needs, accepting **special orders only during the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons**. This service allows loyal customers to stock up on favorites like the renowned sourdough bread or the famous **blackberry wine cake** for holiday freezing and consumption, demonstrating deep local customer loyalty.
• **State and International Shipping**: Demonstrating the reach and renown of their product quality, the bakery actively ships its muffins and breads across state lines and even internationally to locations like **Germany and Canada**. This high-level fulfillment service confirms the superior quality and transportability of their baked goods.

The compelling features of Open Hearts Bakery extend beyond its delicious offerings, rooted deeply in its social enterprise model and product quality.

• **Mission-Driven Profits**: A standout feature is the guarantee that **80% of all profits are reinvested into the community**, supporting critical missions, outreach projects, and initiatives for local children. This makes every purchase a direct philanthropic act for the Morganton community.
• **Employment Ministry**: The bakery actively provides part-time employment opportunities for **3 to 5 individuals per season** who are economically disadvantaged or face barriers to employment, effectively serving as a supportive vehicle for change and job experience in Burke County.
• **Signature North Carolina Recipes**: Customers benefit from a curated menu of time-tested, scratch-made recipes, including **eight different flavors of sourdough**, classic **sweet bread**, **pies**, **cakes**, **cookies**, and the celebrated **legendary blackberry wine cake**, all developed by professional baker Ophelia Hart.
• **Self-Sustaining & Certified Operation**: The bakery is a self-sustaining business that covers all its operational costs through sales, and it is officially **certified by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture**, ensuring adherence to state food standards and operational excellence.
• **Local Sourcing**: In support of the local food economy across North Carolina, the bakery proudly **sources many of its ingredients locally**, buying directly from farmers and producers in the surrounding area, which enhances both the freshness and flavor of the final product.

To place a standard or special order, or for inquiries regarding their mission and local sales schedule in the Morganton, NC area, patrons may use the following contact details:

Address: 201 Shady Rest Rd, Morganton, NC 28655, USA

Phone: (828) 433-7437

Mobile Phone: +1 828-433-7437

For special bakery orders, historical information suggests a dedicated line is often used: (828)-433-PIES.

Choosing Open Hearts Bakery is an easy decision for any North Carolina resident who values exceptional quality products and powerful community investment. This bakery offers the rare chance to combine the simple pleasure of eating incredible food with the satisfaction of knowing your money is going to a worthy cause. The quality of their bread and baked goods, which inspires customers to declare they are **"stuck with their bread for life"**, speaks for itself. The dedication to recipes using local ingredients results in products that are consistently rated higher than mass-produced grocery store alternatives.

However, the most compelling reason to choose Open Hearts Bakery is its deep, tangible impact on the local Morganton area. Every loaf of **sourdough** or carton of muffins purchased directly contributes to **employing individuals facing economic and employment challenges** in the community, providing them with a vital "hand-up" and work experience. Furthermore, by funding local and international missions through its 80% profit redistribution model, the business truly lives up to its motto of being **“Bigger Than Bread!”** When North Carolinians buy from Open Hearts, they are purchasing more than just a sweet treat; they are actively supporting job creation, local food sourcing, and critical community outreach, making it a purchase with purpose that benefits the entire region.

Open Hearts Bakery

201 Shady Rest Rd, Morganton, NC 28655, USA