Milton’s Dough Bar looks to pay it forward

When Milton Community Food Pantry had to scale back its activities due to the coronavirus outbreak, one of Milton’s prominent business owners decided to help fill the void. 

Kristen Latham, co-owner of The Dough Bar with her husband, Marc, has started a pay-it-forward campaign to provide a free cheese pizza for families in need. 

For every order of $35 or more, Dough Bar will donate a large cheese pizza, valued at $12, to a “pizza bank.” Latham said cash donations are also accepted, and those with smaller orders can add a monetary donation to their order. Pizzas in the pizza bank are then available to needy families, who can call The Dough Bar and ask for a pay-it-forward pizza. The Dough Bar will deliver a free cheese pizza directly to their homes, with no charge for delivery. Pizzas can be ordered from the pizza bank every Monday through Thursday until further notice.

Latham said the campaign is a way for The Dough Bar to maintain its own business while helping families in need who have been economically affected by the outbreak. She said since the initiative was announced, The Dough Bar has received a $300 donation from Community Bank. Recently, homeowners in Heritage Creek banded together to order $500 worth of orders, which Latham said added 15 pizzas to the pizza bank.

Latham said Dough Bar will fill as many pizzas per day as are in the pizza bank, but once the bank is empty they’ll have to stop for the day. 

The initiative comes at a precarious time for businesses in the Cape Region, especially in the Milton area, which saw a slew of new businesses open in the past year. Latham, who also owns The Speckled Roost, The Foxhole and Suburban Farmhouse, said it is a scary time. She said she had to close The Foxhole and lay off all the employees because the costs couldn’t be justified. Suburban Farmhouse has been under renovation since January. Dough Bar, which was supposed to move to its own location in downtown Milton, has remained at 102 Federal St. because it is the easiest way to continue to operate. 

“We’re scared to death,” Latham said. “But we’re lucky. We have a name. The community helped build that and we owe it back to them. This is the only way I knew to help. Every dollar counts.”

For more information or to order, call 302-386-7432 or visit them at www.facebook.com/themiltondoughbar.