Once upon a time a woman with a talent for making delicious bread had an idea. It was an idea inspired by circumstances and motivated by the determination to succeed and support her family. Ninnie L. Baird was widowed at a young age and had eight children to support. In 1908 she started baking bread in her small rented house on Hemphill Street in Fort Worth and her children helped her to bake, sell and deliver the bread.

So, the story of a family enterprise begins and today the family is spread across the country with many diverse interests, but the one common thread of this family is that determination and desire to provide for the family. We are all grateful for Ninnie L. Baird and the others that were instilled by her determination which has provided our families with so much.

2005 Financial Information

The Board of the Ninnie L. Baird Foundation expresses their appreciation to C.B. Baird, Jr., Margie Reynolds and Byron Baird for their contributions to the Foundation this past year.

The Foundation passed a milestone with the assets reaching $2,020,188 by the close of the year. While this is a significant accomplishment considering 5% of the income is distributed each year, it is less than 1% of the value of the Company when sold in 1998. Fortunately, the assets are well managed by Brad Lummis and your Board and within the target allocation of the portfolio. The domestic equities account for 44.6% of the portfolio, foreign equities are 16.8%, fixed income is 33.7% and cash 4.9%. The domestic equities showed a gross return of 5.75%, foreign equities returned 21.2% and fixed income was 1.62% for a total return of 6.42%.

Additional support of contributions to the Foundation is encouraged and Brad Lummis will be glad to discuss estate planning or other means of support. He can be reached at 817-348-0577.

Year 2005 Donations

18 Charities for $85,000

Alliance For Children $5,000

Alliance for Children, the Tarrant County Children’s Advocacy Center program, works to break the cycle of child abuse by providing children’s justice centers that coordinate the efforts of partner agencies and facilitate the delivery of needed services. Funds were requested for the Capital Campaign to replace the existing facility with a larger and more child-friendly building to meet the growing needs of the organization.

This is the final installment of a $10,000 commitment.

Azleway Children's Services $4,000

The Board of Directors has requested funds for a Capital/Building Campaign in the Mansfield, Texas area. The program will provide educational and humanitarian services to disadvantaged and under-represented children and families in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

This is the final installment of a $10,000 commitment.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Arlington $2,500

The Boys and Girls Club of Arlington’s purpose is to provide safe, development-oriented activities for children and youth (ages 6 through 18) during after school hours and vacations. The funds requested are to sponsor a co-ed volleyball league, providing sports equipment and team tee shirts.

Buffalo Trail Council of Boy Scouts $5,000

This Council of Boy Scouts, headquartered in Midland, Texas, provides Boy Scout programs for 18 counties in the Permian Basin and Big Bend areas. The funds requested were to create building improvements for the handicapped.

Camp Fire USA, Dallas $5,000

The mission of Camp Fire USA is “building caring, confident youth and future leaders,” serving youth ages 5 through 18 by teaching them to develop personal life skills, leadership abilities, healthy attitudes, positive self-images and a sense of social responsibility. The funds requested are to support Ellowi Day Camp, a fun, engaging alternative to traditional child care.

Children's Medical Center, Dallas $5,000

The mission of Children’s Medical Center Dallas is to make life better for children. The funds requested are in support of the Krissi Holman Family Resource Library and the Children’s Collection at the hospital.

Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts $5,000

The Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts and the Texas Boys Choir strive to provide a structured environment for the development of world-class artists through artistic training and accredited academic education, as well as instilling the qualities of self-discipline, decorum, patriotism, and leadership. The funds requested were in support of a Capital Campaign toward the purchase and renovation of a larger campus.

Foundation Communities $5,000

The mission of Foundation Communities is to create housing where families succeed. Founded in 1989, this Austin-based nonprofit provides affordable housing, supportive housing, community learning centers, and asset building opportunities to low-income individuals and families in Austin, Carrollton and Arlington, Texas. Requested funds were for the renovation and expansion of the Shadow Brook Apartments youth learning center.

Legal Aid of Northwest Texas $2,500

The mission of Legal Aid is to “ensure equal justice for people living in poverty through the provision of high quality legal representation, and to improve the lives of poor people through the rule of law.” Legal representation is provided for family, housing, benefits, consumer, health, domestic violence, employment, juvenile, and other civil issues facing the low-income community. The funds requested support the Fort Worth office with its Technology Project.

Mansfield Cares $5,000

Mansfield Cares is a non-profit organization comprised of local volunteers (no paid staff) who work together raising funds to support community assistance programs for less fortunate people in the Mansfield, Texas area. Funds requested are for the construction of a new facility to offer free and low cost medical and dental care.

Mi Escuelita Preschool $7,500

The primary focus of Mi Escuelita is to provide a safe, secure environment where children are taught English, pre-reading, literacy and social skills necessary to have a successful school experience, while preserving their cultural heritage. Funds requested are to expand the early childhood education program to a new location in St. Matthews Cathedral in East Dallas. Funds donated will help with furniture and start-up costs.

Prevent Child Abuse, Texas $3,000

This organization works to prevent and eliminate child abuse, and to break the abuse cycle. Funds requested are for computer equipment for training in the Child Abuse Awareness program to more efficiently provide child abuse prevention and awareness services to children and families in the Tarrant and surrounding counties.

St. Anthony School $5,000

The vision of St. Anthony School is to provide a world-class education based on academic excellence, in a safe and nurturing environment that encourages students to reach their fullest potential. The donated funds are to help purchase playground equipment so the students may enjoy a break from the classroom through recess.

Teach the Children International $3,000

The philosophy of Teach the Children is: “We believe that every person is capable of learning at any age. It is our desire to structure an environment where neurologically disabled people are able to learn to the maximum of their potential. We believe that this environment must be filled with love for these people as well as love for learning.” The organization sought grant funds to start up and operate a sheltered workshop for disabled adults and older children in Comanche County.

Teen Challenge for Permian Basin $5,000

The mission statement for the Teen Challenge for Permian Basin is “to help people who have life controlling problems and initiate the training process to the point where the individuals can function as a person in society, applying spiritually motivated principles to their family life, personal life and community. The funds requested will enhance the educational department, with educational resources, literature, and computer.

Texas Health Resource Institute $5,000

The THRI mission is to provide education (mostly online) for physicians in their network. One of the programs is the family violence prevention education program developed for area physicians and their teams. Donated funds are in support of this on-line program.

YMCA of Metropolitan Fort Worth $10,000

The Downtown YMCA mission is “To put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all.” The $10,000 donation represents the first payment in the $20,000 pledge made by the Ninnie L. Baird Foundation. These funds are in support of YMCA Downtown’s Building a Place for You Capital Campaign.

Youth Young Adult Fellowship Alliance $5,000

The Y.Y.A.F.A. mission is as follows: “As drug use continues to spread among our teens, the Y.Y.A.F.A. has taken three steps to end drug abuse among youth. They are Education, Reverse Peer Pressure, and Alternative Activities.” Further, the mission seeks “to prevent social ills through counseling, training, tutoring, mentoring, sports and recreation.” The organization requested funds to meet their 2005 budget and to continue to provide services through a professional staff, state-of-the-art equipment and cutting edge programs.

Year 2006

The baking industry is creating the Baking Hall of Fame that recognizes individuals and families who have made significant contributions to the baking industry. The Baking Hall of Fame will be located at the American Institute of Baking and administered by the American Society of Baking. Ninnie L. Baird and Family will be one of the thirteen (bakers dozen) inducted into the Baking Hall of fame in 2006. There will be six bakers, two ingredient suppliers, two equipment manufacturers, and three educators/academic/research honorees. Ninnie L. Baird and Family will share honors with Margaret Rudkin, founder of Pepperidge Farms, Charles Lubin, founder of Sara Lee, William and Joseph Flowers, founder of Flowers Industries, William Entenmann, founder of Entenmann Baking Company and Catherine Clark, founder of Brownberry Ovens. We are honored to be in the first group of outstanding inductees for the Baking Hall of Fame. This information and a complete background of the Foundation can be found at our website, www.ninnielbairdfoundation.com.