WASHINGTON (WUSA9) -- A local business is making a profound difference in the lives of our military veterans and their families.
Through a six-month fellowship program, Dog Tag Bakery in Georgetown is giving veterans, wounded warriors and their spouses the skills to achieve their dreams and learn every aspect about running a small business.
Shay Mason is an Army veteran, Army spouse and now the primary caregiver to her wounded warrior husband, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan."
"This program is a godsend for my family," Mason said.
"Now I kind of feel like I can breathe. And there are people who really care."
She's found hope and help through Dog Tag Bakery.
"You don't fall through the cracks, you don't become a statistic, and not only that. If you have a dream to become an entrepreneur, we're going to help you," Mason said.
The program goes well beyond the bakery. Upstairs in their building is a classroom where Georgetown professors offer weekly lectures on topics like entrepreneurship, finance and marketing.
"The support and the energy is phenomenal here, Peter Scott, an Army veteran and wounded warrior. said.
"This program is one that will help me, lead me to a place where I can succeed and kind of find my niche or my safe place in life."
Like many returning service members, Scott struggled to re-enter the workforce and battled isolation and despair.
"It's great to have a community that can help build us back up," Scott said.
Dog Tag Bakery CEO Meghan Ogilvie says the program's goal is about getting those who served back on their feet.
"They're not looking for a handout, they're not looking for someone to feel bad for them. They're coming in here, they might have a disability, they might have gone through a lot as a spouse or a caregiver, but they're here because they want to move forward with their life," Ogilvie said.
If you know a service member, police officer or firefighter who serves our community and might like a visit from Andrea and Bunce, just send us an email to bunce@wusa9.com. And for more info on Dog Tag Bakery's innovative fellows program, visit their website.
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