Drop In & Decorate gets some Inc.

The idea came to me not in a vision, or in a sugar high brought on by the licking of fingers while icing cookies.

No, the idea came, as all good ones do, from a word here and a word there, from people who over the past six years have offered to help defray the cost of my own super-sized Drop In & Decorate, and from those who have hosted cookies-for-donation events, small and large, in their communities.

And so, it's official: we are now DROP IN & DECORATE, INC., a nonprofit organization headquartered in Rhode Island.

Why incorporate?

To be able to secure donations of decorating supplies, and to raise money.

Why does Drop In & Decorate need contributions?

Good question. Our mission is to provide technical and financial assistance to people who want to host cookies-for-donation events in their own communities, and to encourage other related activities involving the donation of food and the building of bridges between groups in a community.

What kind of technical and financial assistance?

We'll be helping hosts defray the cost of hosting an event, by asking companies to offer discounts on baking supplies or to donate supplies such as cookie cutters, baking sheets, etc., to anyone who hosts a Drop In & Decorate party. If you have hosted an event, or are thinking about it for the future, please let us know what else we can do to help you.

One of our first projects will be to find a corporate partner to create a Drop In & Decorate cookie decorating kit that will represent real value to hosts, and that will be sold online and in retail locations. Last year we tested a baking kit with King Arthur Flour; this year, we're concentrating on the decorating supplies.

And what kind of encouragement?

We'll also be using our funds to generate some publicity for Drop In & Decorate, so we can encourage more people to host their own cookies-for-donation events, and to build this web site as a resource for ingredient sourcing, advice, and reporting on Drop In news and events wherever they take place. We'll tell you more about some of the agencies that have received cookie donations, too.

And we're producing a short video (already in the works) aimed at high school students, about how to organize Drop In events to fulfill their community service requirement for graduation.

Of course, some day we'd love to be able to offer on-site assistance and inspiration to event organizers around the country. (Perhaps a traveling squad of cheerleaders? Hmmmm, perhaps not.)

Those are just a few of the ideas of what we can do now that we're an Inc..

I hope you'll be part of our future, as a volunteer, Drop In party host, donor, skill-sharer or advice-giver, and I thank you for all you've done to make Drop In & Decorate Inc.-worthy.

We should celebrate!

Cookies, anyone?

(PS: Starting from the top, the photos are from Edwin's Drop In for the Washington DC Ronald McDonald House, Cibby's birthday Drop In for Providence Ronald McDonald House, Jenna's Drop In for The TIMES Center in Champaign IL, and Dea's Drop In for Lifespan Respite Care in Ashland WI. Thanks to all for sharing their wonderful photos.)

Comments

[steamy kitchen]

congrats, my friend!!!!!

[Chris]

That is the coolest thing! Congrats!

[Lisa]

Congratulations, Lydia! This is fantastic news! I wish you nothing but luck and success! :)

xoxo

[Tea]

Wonderful news! I am so pleased for you:-)

[katie]

How wonderful! Congratulations and much success in the future!
It's so wonderful when a good cause works.

[Genie]

This is so exciting! Congratulations on this big next step.

[T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types]

What great news, Lydia! I think it was probably inevitable, and it's a wonderful testament to the value of what you've created!

[Jenna Z.]

Wowsers! Congrats and a hearty thank you for putting so much work and love into this venture!

[Mimi]

Wonderful news, Lydia! What a feather in your cap - er - cookie on your plate!

[Paz]

Awesome! Awesome news! Congratulations!

Paz

[Susan from Food Blogga]

Best of luck, Lydia! You must be thrilled.