Cookies!

For our last Activity Days, the kids committed to raise $5 each to contribute towards buying bread and peanut butter to feed homeless people. It's been really cute to see the result of that.

Ellis and Lillian spent the entire car ride home concocting ways to raise $5. They get a little allowance, but they earmarked that money to save for a field trip they want to go on in the Spring. Suddenly needing $10 (collectively) more threw a wrench in their plans.

So first off, they decided they were going to actually earn their allowance each week. Recently, they've been at about 50%. Woohoo, they actually get all their chores done on time now!

Then they decided to do a fundraiser. After a lot of iterating, they decided to make cookies and ask a friend to buy their cookies for $4. You know, one of those deep-pocketed adopted-grandma-types.

And they actually did it! On Saturday, they made a double batch of sugar cookie dough. On Monday, they baked the cookies. On Tuesday, they made icing and iced the cookies. We made them St. Patrick's day themed. They thought that might make them more marketable.

I took a picture and posted them on Facebook

Within 20 minutes, several deep-pocketed adopted-grandma-types had offered to buy their cookies. It was so sweet to see the kids get excited as people responded to their post! They had more offers than they had cookies, so they are going to make some more this weekend and contribute more to the sandwich fund.

It's been a great experience. Here's a short list of some of the positive things I've observed from this project:

1. Some homeless people are going to get some sandwiches. Which is, after all, the point of the project :)
2. Ellis and Lillian working together. (Wha?!?!) (Mostly) cheerfully!
3. Ellis and Lillian did this with their own initiative. I mentored a bit, and reminded them that they had to bake the cookies or the dough would go bad, but that's it! They know they can do things themselves now.
4. They also learned that they can make a difference.
5. And that making a difference feels good.
6. And that they have a community of good people around them.
7. And how to leverage that community to accomplish more than you could by yourself.
8. I get to talk to my friends as I deliver cookies! 😀

I've heard from one of the other moms, and she's said good things about her son's experience, as well. And now I get to feel all warm and fuzzy, because I followed what I'm sure was inspiration to have the kids pay for the activity. I can't wait until we get to actually make the sandwiches and deliver them!