By Luke Paglia · Photo Chief
Don’t you wish that you could have homemade bread in the dining halls every day? Perhaps it could even be stocked at the bread station in MAP. Well, you may not be able to get it in the dining halls, but worry no longer, because you can get bread made by a Grove City College student any time you wish. And not just any bread: fresh, homemade sourdough bread, as well as pastries and desserts.
Grove City College senior Jonalyn Wharry is operating a sourdough baking business, called Jesus Loafs You, out of her apartment this year. She began this journey during the fall semester, when she had hip surgery and was unable to do much, including her varsity sport, softball. Because she had to take time to recover, she decided to start a sourdough starter and go from there.
When she made her starter, she didn’t expect the business to grow into what it is today. “Not being able to do anything really took a toll on my mental health, so having time to bake and actually being able to was something I truly leaned on,” Wharry said.
When she realized she could make money from this business, her first thought was to help others with the profit. “I ended up using the bulk of the money to help pay for Bibles to distribute on spring break with the softball team,” she said.
Wharry runs this business mostly on her own, with some assistance from her roommates and parents with handling deliveries at home. The Jesus Loafs You menu has a variety of products beyond just normal sourdough loaves. You can purchase bagels, sweet breads and other baked goods like cinnamon rolls, cookies and brownies.
Jesus Loafs You is more than just a business to Wharry. “While I do love baking bread, I love serving others. If I can make someone’s day with some of my time in the form of something delicious, I will gladly do that.”
Initially her plan was to raise money for Bibles for her softball team’s spring training. She knew that she could fundraise by selling sourdough but intended to stop once they hit their goal. However, it was so popular that she continued baking bread for people. Currently, 25% of her profits are being donated to St. Jude’s Research Hospital. She is also looking to sponsor a child through Compassion International using the money from her business.
After she graduates, Wharry plans to continue this business beyond Grove City College. She will be attending medical school at Liberty University, so unfortunately, she will not be taking Grove City orders unless she happens to be home on break. While she plans to fill orders at Liberty, it is unlikely that she will be able to keep up with the same volume that she is currently making due to the time commitment required for medical school.
If you are interested in ordering some of Wharry’s baked goods, the top items that she recommends are the regular, jalapeno cheddar and maple oat loaves. She also suggests trying the cinnamon rolls. To order, you can reach out to her via Instagram (@jesusloafsyou) or order by email (jesusloafsyoubakery@gmail.com). When you go to place an order, mention that you are coming from The Collegian to receive an extra $5 off your order on top of the typical 20% off student discount.
Wharry has a fantastic and successful business here at Grove City College. Students and faculty have the opportunity to support a good cause through purchasing her products, and they get to eat some great bread too.
“I have always loved baking cookies since I was little, but sourdough is truly something special,” Wharry said.
