Dough Nation PHL auctions the daily bread for charity

Erica Racobaldo started baking sourdough at home in 2020 during the pandemic, like everyone else.

As she began working more, she baked less — until last fall, when she was laid off from her tech job. She threw herself back into sourdough, getting more proficient as she turned out loaf after loaf. This came with a downside, she said: “We can’t eat all that bread ourselves.”

» READ MORE: He served pizzas out of his apartment window for charity. Now, he’s donated his Good Pizza idea to Philabundance

While out for a walk near her South Philadelphia home, Racobaldo, 32, came up with a solution for her boule-bonanza:

Auction off her loaves on Instagram and send the net proceeds, after ingredients, to a nonprofit. The first that came to mind was José Andrés’ hunger-relief group, World Central Kitchen.

“Four days later, I was posting it on my personal account,” she said. She created a new account — Dough Nation PHL (@doughnation_phl) — announced her first auction, and watched the bidding unfold from $10. The winning bid was $40, double her goal. The winner drove from Collegeville to South Philadelphia to pick up the bread.

Auctions start at 10 a.m. weekdays on @doughnation_phl’s Instagram Stories. Bidders use direct messages to reply and arrange pickup. Winning bidders also may donate their bread to a local food bank.

Racobaldo is starting with sourdough loaves, and soon plans to offer bagels and perhaps challah. But while she wants the idea to do good, she called it “my little gig right now” while she is on unemployment. “It’s just a hobby,” she said. “A passion project.”

The charity will change weekly.

Racobaldo is the latest Philadelphian using their baking skills for good. Nearly a decade ago, Mason Wartman opened Rosa’s Fresh Pizza, which allowed customers to pay their purchases forward. In 2020, grad student Ben Berman started making pizzas in his Center City apartment under the name “Good Pizza” and lowering them by rope to customers; he gave proceeds to charity and later gave the whole concept to Philabundance. Philadelphia teacher Zach Posnan donates bread and a cut of his Brass Monkey Bread Co. take to charity.