A Maple Ridge bakery is lending a helping hand to Canuck Place Children’s Hospice and has vowed to donate a percentage of summer sales towards a community cause.
Like last year, this time, too, Hansel and Gretel Bakery will raise money to assist one of the core beneficiaries of the Canucks for Kids Fund, Canuck Place Children’s Hospice.
For Canuck Place Children’s Hospice, cookies symbolize comfort and warmth. Chantelle Bowles, Corporate and Youth Partnerships Officer, wants the organization’s cookie jar to be always full, meaning the comfort and warmth always be available for the Hospice’s children and families.
“It is our promise to the kids and families that there will always be comfort for the soul. That is part of our heart-centric philosophy of care.”
Throughout the year, multiple bakeries participate in the Cookies for Canuck Place campaign. The local bakery has joined a network of small businesses that regularly support Canuck Hospice. Claudia Storer, head chef and the owner of the local bakery, said that 75 per cent of the sales from their special Canuck Place cookie will go towards the cause.
Their one-month long campaign will commence from Feb. 18, said Storer.
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Bowles explained that participation from bakeries has taken off in the last couple of years. Many bakeries have joined their Canuck Place Cookie Club – a network of businesses that donates partial proceeds of baked goods to Canuck Place.
Storer said that some of their regulars have availed services of the Canuck Place Hospice and that inspired her to contribute.
“The services they provide are very much needed in the community. There are people who really need it,” Storer added.
The funds raised through the collective efforts of bakeries, schools, and other donors will help Canuck Place Children’s Hospice operate its programs for the families living in their facilities at no cost. The money could help run respite care, end-of-life service, bereavement counselling, music therapy session, and other initiatives.
Bowles said that her team’s goal is to raise at least $15,000 through the Cookie for Canuck Place campaign.
“We are so grateful for the support from the Maple Ridge bakery. It really warms our heart and means a lot,” said Bowles.
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Other than bakeries, the general public, too, can contribute directly by visiting canuckplace.org/cookie. Bowles encouraged people to create a fundraiser of their own to raise money. Some ideas on how to do a fundraiser are listed on the website.
Storer thanked the staff at Canuck Place and said that “they are among the kindest, most amazing individuals that we’ve had the pleasure of working with. They make very difficult days into manageable, memorable ones for B.C. sickest kids and their families. We are very proud to have the opportunity to partner with them.”
The non-profit organization celebrates Cookie Day on Feb. 24 every year, and the campaign runs until mid March.
Canuck Place Children’s Hospice was started in November 1995. Currently, they have two locations in B.C. – Vancouver and Abbotsford.
Hansel and Gretel Bakery is located at 22777 Dewdney Trunk Rd, Maple Ridge. For more information, people can call the local bakery at 604-463-0034.
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