The Other Side Donuts helps unsheltered Utahns one donut at a time

SALT LAKE CITY — A new donut shop in Salt Lake is helping unsheltered Utahns one colorful pastry at a time.

The Other Side Donuts shop employs formerly unhoused Utahns as bakers. They prepare around 1,000 donuts a day. 

“The Other Side Donuts is a non-profit whose sole mission is to provide affordable housing as well as employment opportunities for the chronically homeless,” says the shop’s general manager, Nicholas Smith.  

Smith says it’s a space for people to learn and grow.

“The donuts are secondary to ‘why’ we’re there. We’re there to learn, how to value-centered lives of integrity, how to live in community, and how to hold each other accountable,” Smith said. 

All proceeds go to the Other Side Village, a tiny home community. 

Other Side Village will break ground on housing village to help homeless

“We’re apart of a bigger mission which is The Other Side Village. There’ll be sustainable, affordable housing built on that site.” 

Smith says all the bakers are from The Other Side Academy and are trained to bake and decorate the donuts.

“We figured out with no baking experience other than some training, how to produce 1,000 donuts at the quality that you’re seeing,” he said. 

Smith says once they graduate from The Other Side Academy, he can officially hire them to work in the shop and is expecting to hire his first graduate this year.