Eli’s Cheesecake maintains mission to serve its community

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Eli’s Cheesecake maintains mission to serve its community

3 Feb 2025

Maddie Lambert

Maddie Lambert is a copywriter and editor from Joplin, MO. She graduated from Missouri Southern State University with a Bachelor of Arts in English – literary studies. When she’s not poring over the magazine or lost in the pages of a new novel, you can find Maddie exploring her local bookstores, spending time with her husband, or sharing her latest literary discoveries with fellow book enthusiasts.

Commercial Baking is proud to present a new annual recognition: Social Impactor of the Year, highlighting one company’s dedication to philanthropy, education and social change with the goal to make a positive impact on its workforce and the communities it serves.

KANSAS CITY, MO — Eli’s Cheesecake Co. is a third-generation, family-owned bakery dedicated to serving the city of Chicago with an emphasis on being philanthropic and diverse.

But inclusivity doesn’t stop there. Eli’s is on a mission to make its workforce as diverse as possible, which includes a long history of hiring people with disabilities. In collaboration with Wilbur Wright College (WWC), the company hires young adults with developmental and cognitive disabilities who complete the Project Wright Access program, a state-funded initiative that makes employment training and job opportunities more accessible to Chicago’s underserved disabled community.

The program was born in collaboration with Vaughn Occupational High School, a public school that provides specialized education for students with disabilities. Eli’s is the program’s co-lead sponsor, offering on-the-job training, food-handler certification and employee placement throughout the bakery. The partnership not only helps close the employee gap within the disabled community but also supports diverse learners as they transition into the next phase of the workforce.

Through the program, Eli’s has hired four students permanently, with four more in a cohort each quarter.

“We have always believed that an inclusive workforce is crucial to our success,” said Marc Schulman, president of Eli’s Cheesecake. “How we make Eli’s a living, developing and active organization with an emphasis on the finished product depends on who we hire. It’s not a machine where you press a button to make our cheesecake. It takes good people.”

The gourmet cheesecake company also partners with the Chicago High School for Agriculture Sciences (CHSAS) to help integrate students into the world of food business through mentoring, annual scholarships and internships.

Since 2001, Marc has served as co-chair of CHSAS’ Business Advisory Board, where he supports the expansion of career experiences for its more than 3,000 students. He spearheads initiatives to place juniors and seniors — 340 students per year — in work-based, entrepreneurial learning experiences at Eli’s as well as throughout Chicago and the surrounding counties.

For 15 years, Eli’s has co-sponsored a summer entrepreneurship program with WWC for CHSAS students and has awarded scholarships for the past 12 years to CHSAS graduates.

“Having a positive impact on the community is in our DNA as a business,” said Elana Schulman, VP of Eli’s Cheesecake. “It’s hard work being in the food manufacturing industry, but one of the most joyful parts is our influence on other communities to make a big difference in lots of small ways. And the most important thing is that we’re all doing it together.”

“Giving back to the community is never a decision that we’re making. It’s just who we are. There’s no separation between the two.” — Elana Schulman | VP | Eli’s Cheesecake Co.

The company also actively contributes to The Happiness Club, a nonprofit that provides a safe environment for children ages 8 to 18 to explore social issues through the creation of original hip-hop and pop music, rap and dance.

Eli’s supports The Happiness Club year-round with financial donations and desserts for club events, which are hosted in partnership with Eli’s Cheesecake. Maureen Schulman, head of public relations for Eli’s and Marc’s wife and Elana’s mother, serves as the board chair for the Happiness Club.

“Eli’s is always going to be there, whether we’re providing people with desserts, leadership or programs that we feel the company has the ability to make a difference in,” Marc said. “This is something we take a lot of pride in and will continue to do for our community.”

Eli’s goodwill embodies the seasonal spirit, too. One of the company’s most treasured traditions is the acclaimed “Eli’s Giving Tree,” an activity that encourages each staff member to donate desserts to a civic or charitable group important to them during the holiday season. The proverbial cherry on top is that the delivery is made personally by the associate, who brings enough cheesecake to feed over 100 people. The initiative allows Eli’s to contribute to local organizations and individuals by providing food and sharing the company-wide passion for the dessert staple Eli’s is known for.

“Our business is values- and mission-driven,” Elana said. “Giving back to the community is never a decision that we’re making. It’s just who we are. There’s no separation between the two.”

Of course, Eli’s is historically known for delighting consumers around the country with its classic recipe. But this business is a living legacy. Eli’s makes people — in both the company and community — feel empowered, trusted and supported … and that makes this company the Social Impactor of the Year.

This story has been adapted from the 2024 Innovations Annual of Commercial Baking. Read the digital edition here.

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