[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 56 (Wednesday, March 30, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H4002-H4003]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         HONORING MATT KREUTZ, CEO OF FIREBRAND ARTISAN BREADS

  (Ms. LEE of California asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 
incredible contributions of one of my constituents, Matt Kreutz. He is 
the CEO of Firebrand Artisan Breads, which is a fixture in our East Bay 
community.
  Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of Matt virtually joining me 
at President Biden's State of the Union address. Matt founded Firebrand 
in 2007 as a socially conscious organization focused on making 
opportunities available for the unhoused, formerly incarcerated people, 
and others who may be experiencing difficulties getting hired. In 
recent years, he expanded Firebrand into a business that employs 85 
people at its cafe in uptown Oakland and at its production facility in 
Alameda. Firebrand has become a beating heart in my community.
  As the pandemic raged on, Matt managed to keep Firebrand open by 
securing a loan from the Paycheck Protection Program, which was made 
possible by the American Rescue Plan. Since receiving the PPP 
loan, Firebrand continued expanding operations and growing into a major 
source of employment for many.

[[Page H4003]]

  Madam Speaker, on behalf of the 13th Congressional District of 
California, we thank Matt for sharing his story and for enriching our 
community.

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