This week, we’re featuring Bake Me Home, a nonprofit that has been inspiring us since we first heard about them in September. Bake Me Home is a wonderful organization that provides homeless and disadvantaged moms and children with direct services that encourage shared family experiences. As part of their work, they make cookie kits that each family can use to bake cookies together. We love this idea! The organization was founded by two twin 8-year-old girls, Emma and Amy. Last week, Baking for Good had the opportunity to interview them about why they started Bake Me Home and what the charity means to them. Here’s what they had to say:
How did Bake Me Home begin?
Amy: Emma saw on Teen Kids News about kids starting their own businesses and I like cooking, and we wanted do more for the The Bethany House Shelter. We thought we could give families a jar of cookie mix because we like to make cookies with our Mom. Our Mom thought they probably didn’t get a chance to bake together very much. I said what if they don’t have a cookie sheet to bake on? So then we got them a cookie sheet, and everything else they need and put it in a bag so they could carry it.
How did you come up with your recipe for the Bake Me Home cookies?
Emma: It started off with a recipe we had baked with at our house, then we added on to that recipe and changed it into what we call Bake Me Home cookies. We had to make it fit in the jar, was one of the problems, and then also we had to find some way for our wet ingredient vanilla extract to turn dry. We couldn’t put wet ingredients in our jar and we didn’t want our shelter families to have to buy it because it is expensive. Then our troubles were answered by our Mom hearing from someone that there was such a thing as vanilla powder and we decided to put that in our jar instead of vanilla extract. Now all they have to buy is butter and eggs, and we give them a $20 grocery store gift card to use for that. We also made the cookies OATMEAL chocolate chip to make them a LITTLE healthy!
What is your favorite part of volunteering?
Emma and Amy: Playing with kids at the shelters when we visit.
How does giving back and helping people make you feel?
Amy: Good!
Emma: It makes me feel warm inside.
What are your plans for the future?
Emma and Amy: We hope to raise enough money to help even more shelters than the four we already do. We are also excited about our new fundraising project “Bake Me BACK Home” where people will be able to make a $30 donation to us and we will send 2 dozen of our cookies to someone serving in the military. About half of the money from the donation will go to supporting our programming.
What is your favorite cookie?
Amy: Sugar cookies.
Emma: Bake Me Home, of course!
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Amy and Emma, thanks for inspiring us and baking the world a better place!
Learn more about Bake Me Home and support them when you order treats from Baking for Good.
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