Buffalo Rising Online

At Soap Works, they understand that the only way to clean up a city’s problems is with lots of hard work, and of course, plenty of soap. Selling their hand-made creations since 2005, Soap Works operates in partnership with On The Job Ministries to provide mentoring and job-training skills to Buffalo teens. More than just a business, more than just a charity, Soap Works is leaving a footprint on Buffalo’s future by grooming the next generation for job-readiness. And with the dividends coming right back to the city, the smell of success has never been more fragrant.

The teenaged staff of Soap Works is drawn from Buffalo’s troubled West Side, and is responsible for almost every aspect of production and marketing of the soaps. “We’re really here to give young people a chance to make something they can be proud of… [and] to develop themselves as professionals,” said Kim Deflyer, coordinator of Soap Works, who helps match teens with mentors in the program. “Sitting there, m…