Juma’s Steep Learning Lab: A Sweet Opportunity for Youth

Juma’s latest venture, Steep Creamery and Tea, is set to become a new kind of learning laboratory for Juma youth. With support from the Citi Foundation’s Community Progress Makers Initiative and other generous donors, Juma is poised to evolve Steep from an ice cream and boba tea shop into the next iteration of Juma job training; a standalone, youth run and led business that will provide young people from underserved communities with new ways to learn leadership and management skills. 

Steep was originally conceived and founded by two Juma alumni who, after completing their respective Business Administration Degrees, decided to pursue their dream of becoming entrepreneurs. Today, Steep brings Juma the opportunity to once again own and scale a standalone business. The move harkens back to Juma’s roots and celebrates its heritage as the first nonprofit organization to own and operate a Ben and Jerry’s scoop shop.

Steep will provide employment roles for youth in positions like Shop Manager, Operations Manager, Key Holder, Cashier, Stocker and Customer Service representative. In the long-term, Steep will become Juma’s first management laboratory–a comprehensive youth-focused Management and Leadership training program allowing youth who are interested in business management and entrepreneurship to gain the soft and hard skills they’ll need to manage and operate their own small businesses. In addition to offering youth new ways to earn and deeper learning, Steep will also provide year-round employment; a game-changer for the young people whose needs are most dire and would benefit from additional workshifts outside of the baseball season. 

At Steep’s recent Grand (Re)Opening event, supporters and friends gathered for the unveiling of Steep’s Donor Appreciation wall. In the future, Juma envisions a version of Steep existing across all their sites. From Seattle to Atlanta, Sacramento to Houston, the  goal is to provide Juma’s signature job training and management curriculum to every young person in need of income and an opportunity.

Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Contact Andrea Coen, Chief Development Officer, via andreac@juma.org to learn more.

Steep is open and serving guests at 270 Brannan St. in San Francisco from 12pm-6pm Thursday to Sunday and available through DoorDash and GrubHub. 

Catering available throughout the Bay Area – contact CaterSteep@juma.org or visit https://www.juma.org/catersteep-packages