At BlogHer Boston I met Lydia from The Perfect Pantry, who has not only adopted my blog but introduced me to her fantastic non-profit organization Drop In & Decorate.
Drop In & Decorate is a simple concept: bake some cookies, invite friends or family (or neighbors, or co-workers) to stop in and help decorate, then donate your cookies to a local food pantry, emergency shelter, senior center, lunch program, or other community agency serving neighbors in need (Or, sell your cookies at a bake sale, and donate the proceeds to a community agency).
Last Sunday, I gathered a small group to decorate cookies for the Streetworks program for homeless youth in New York City. Unfortunately at the last minute, the agency was not able to take the cookies. Out of bad always comes good and we wound up making a great contact at the flagship New York City Ronald McDonald House, who will hopefully be the proud recipient of more cookies in the future.
Some of the cookies looked practically professional:
Some of the cookies looked not-so-professional:
And some of them were good enough to eat:
If you’re interested in holding your own Drop In & Decorate party visit www.dropinanddecorate.org for more information and a special how-to guide.
What do you like to do around the holiday season (or any time!) to give back to your community? What are your favorite “acts of kindness?”
Happy Holidays!
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
What a wonderful idea! I donate food to the local food bank all year long, at every opportunity I get. My husband just shakes his head and laughs now instead of being stingy about it. This year especially, every week at the grocery I buy something for the food bank. It’s the least i can do.
What a wonderful idea! This year, I’ll admit I haven’t done much related to charity. But, we just gave money to two charities we feel strongly about (related to our October wedding). I pretty much give $$ to charity (and once in a while hand power) year round. So, I don’t necessarily feel like I have to do anything around the holidays. Maybe I should do a drop in and decorate party next year?
I think all of your cookies look beautiful! Special thanks to you and your friends who came to help decorate and donate — you are all rock stars in my book.
This is such a wonderful idea! I want to participate next year!! You cookies look delicious and the Ronald McDonald House is such a great organization. Thanks Maris!
It’s definitely great to do what you can regardless of the time of year. Drop In Decorate is great because as popular as it is around the holiday season you can host events throughout the year- there have been great decorating parties for Valentine’s Day, Halloween, Mother’s Day, etc. Let me know if you decide to do one – lots of fun!
Thanks for stopping by!
What a great act of kindness! Hats off to you. you did a wonderful job.
Great job on the sugar cookies! I think I may even be “cookied out” now too!
that much sugar cookie-ing would definitely wear a person out, but they look glorious!
merry christmas!
Aren’t you just the sweetest! Adorable cookies AND for an awesome cause. I bet you’ve made a lot of people’s Christmases brighter. Excellent work, and merry, merry Christmas : )
Merry Christmas!
What a fantastic idea! And your cookies look so cute, love the snowman!