How One Nebraska Pastry Chef Empowered Women Through Flour

In 31 days, 20 female chefs across the nation raised over $5,000 for female-empowering group, I Am That Girl. And it's all thanks to Nebraska pastry chef and owner of all-female-operated bakery Goldenrod Pastries, Angela Garbacz.

Garbacz's initiative, Empower Through Flour, tapped chefs to create a flour-based dish with a dash of purple (the color historically symbolizes the women's suffrage movement) to raise funds to IATG in honor of Women's History Month this past March. Chefs including Dominique Crenn in San Francisco, Ali LaRaia in New York, Yasmin Gutierrez in Chicago, Lisa Marie White in Nashville, Caitlin Dysart in Washington D.C., Roxana Jullapat in Los Angeles, Jen Jacobs in Saint Petersburg, Florida and many more showed their support by baking blueberry olive oil cakes, grape macaroons, ice cream sandwiches and making beet ricotta, as well as other dishes. Proceeds from the sales of these dishes all month went toward IATG. The money raised will help grow the organization's research-backed curriculums dedicated to education young women about high school and college opportunities, peer-led local chapters and its mobile app.

In an industry dominated by men, Garbacz says that it's inspiring to see women from all over the country band together to support younger generations.

"We really couldn't be happier with the results of Empower Through Flour," Garbacz says in an email exchange. "It's amazing to see women in the food industry come together for something great, like empowering young women through I Am That Girl."

As for the future, Garbacz says that Empower Through Flour will continue as a Women's History Month campaign.