Baking Memories 4 Kids Serves Vacation Dreams

Did you know that more than half of critically ill children have a Disney related wish? Make A Wish may be well known among wish granting organizations but it’s far from the only one. There are many small non-profits doing the great work of fulfilling children's magical wishes to take a trip to Disney. Baking Memories 4 Kids is a non-profit whose mission is to 'send children with life threatening and/or terminal illnesses and their families on an all expense paid vacation to all the theme parks in Orlando, Florida.' These special experiences are funded by the sales of chocolate chip cookies. Disney Vacation Club members are among the biggest Disney fans and know how much joy a trip to the parks can bring. Just imagine what this means to families going through their biggest challenges.[caption id="attachment_17748" align="aligncenter" width="300"]

Photo courtesy of Baking Memories 4 Kids

Hope with Baking Memories 4 Kids

Founder Frank Squeo overcame cancer himself. He felt that he was close to the end but experienced a miracle. Frank knew he wanted something good to come from what he went through. His lifelong passion for Disney and baking chocolate chip cookies led him to the answer. Frank is very hands on and plans a big surprise for the reveal of each gifted trip![caption id="attachment_17751" align="aligncenter" width="300"]

Photo courtesy of Baking Memories 4 KidsThis year, 2022, is the organization's tenth baking season. Around 300 families have been served by Baking Memories 4 Kids so far. The organization continues to establish itself and has a few upgrades this year. Cookie packaging now features biodegradable boxes in an effort to be more eco-friendly. UPS ground delivers and the cookies stay fresh up to two weeks. Otherwise, freeze them to preserve for longer.The children facing critical illnesses that this organization supports are called Cookie Kids. A photo of each Cookie Kid is hung in the Baking Memories 4 Kids warehouse and supporters of the mission and those who volunteer their time to bake and ship cookies are called Memory Makers.[caption id="attachment_17749" align="aligncenter" width="300"]

Photo courtesy of Baking Memories 4 Kids

Baking Memories 4 Kids Fun Facts

• Baking Memories 4 Kids made it into the Guinness Book of World Records for the most cookies baked in one hour. The previous record was 4,695 cookies. Baking Memories 4 Kids and its volunteers topped that with 6,018 cookies baked in just one hour! 
• Chocolate chip cookies are also donated to a local food pantry in New York by BM4K.
• Baking Memories 4 Kids has received notoriety from big names like The New York Yankees and The Today Show who both celebrated the mission.

Get Involved and help make dreams come true

If you're moved by this cause and interested in donating your time, volunteers make the magic happen. This year's Annual Cookie Selling Season runs from October 18th through December 17th, 2022. There are nearly 600 volunteer shifts in Valley Cottage, New York with a variety of tasks needing to be completed. You can help prep, bake and package cookies for the season and job duties are assigned on site. This can potentially be a holiday family outing! Volunteers must be 12 years or older. Anyone under 15 must have parental supervision.From BakingMemories4Kids.com: "Baking Memories for Kids is not only a beautiful organization, but Frank’s cookie recipe is delicious! Volunteer, donate or just buy and share cookies! It all helps!" – Memory Maker Deborah Javier

Baking Memories 4 Kids Non-Profit Partners

Baking Memories 4 Kids also partners with two other organizations that champion for children with critical illnesses. Partner St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is a leader in pediatric cancer research and treatment, providing free care to patients. A portion of cookie sales are donated to St. Jude's in hopes of supporting cures.Give Kids The World Village also partners with Baking Memories 4 Kids to provide. Give Kids The World is a fairytale resort in Central Florida that works with Baking Memories 4 Kids to host families on their visit. The Village has a restaurant, spa, attractions, zero entry pool and accessible water play area.[caption id="attachment_17752" align="aligncenter" width="300"]

Photo courtesy of Baking Memories 4 KidsThere are also corporate partners who provide financial support like Panera Bread franchises. Panera’s Change 4 Children fundraisers encourage guests to round up their order total to make a donation. The organization credits corporate partnerships early on for its successful start.

How to Nominate a Wish Child

Baking Memories 4 Kids shares the following on how to nominate a potential cookie kid: "In order to be considered as a qualified applicant. our Cookie Kids must be between the ages of 3 & 18. They must have a condition that is either considered life threatening or terminal. The child cannot have received or be in the process of receiving any other wish from any other organization. We also request that the family is open to publicity so that we can use their inspiring story to help find more families in the future." For those who meet the qualifications, a form to nominate a wish child is online. This is a specialized trip for the child but they get to travel with their family. Organizations involved with wish granting often highlight the transformative power of joy. This kind of respite and exhilarating experience is often a restorative moment for all involved.

Support Baking Memories 4 Kids

You can help bake up sweet memories this holiday season by purchasing a package of Frank’s famous sweets. The cookies have no preservatives and use natural ingredients like unbleached flour. Individual containers include one and a quarter pound of the special family recipe chocolate chip cookies. Shipping is free in the U.S. Gift a cookie container and you can make a request to include a special message. Baking Memories 4 Kids is also set up to conveniently deliver cookies to customers of businesses as thank you gifts. Corporate gifting inquiries are responded to quickly so there's still time this season. You can also purchase in bulk and get a discount on four containers of chocolate chip cookies. The real deal is kindness as this delicious fundraiser gives families incredible memories together on unforgettable trips. Visit BakingMemories4Kids.com to buy your cookies today.

This article was originally posted November 7th, 2021.