December 4 is National Cookie Day, and someone, somewhere, some time in the next few weeks, or maybe on that exact day, will decorate the 10,000th cookie for donation at a Drop In & Decorate® party to benefit a nonprofit agency helping people in need in their own community.
Ten thousand cookies.
Placed end to end, they could circle my local food pantry, or perhaps the entire state of Rhode Island. (It's a small state.)
Do you remember the story about how Drop In & Decorate got its start?
Way back in 2002, my friend Candy and I read an article or saw a television show (we can't quite remember which) about Martha Stewart's beautiful flooded-icing cookies.
Candy said, "We can do that." I replied, "No, we can't."
How we moved from no to yes, from our first attempts at decorating a few dozen cookies in my kitchen to becoming a nonprofit organization last year, is a great story.
What's even better is the story of what's happening right now.
Right now, Pillsbury wants to help you host your own Drop In & Decorate® event with your friends, your kids, your co-workers, your moms' group, faith group or book group.
The very nice folks at Pillsbury share our belief that bringing people together through the joys of baking, cooking and eating strengthens families and builds bridges of compassion within communities.
To help you give back during this holiday season, they've donated 50 VIP coupons, worth $3.00 each, off any Pillsbury product-- including sugar cookie mix, icing and flour -- to be distributed, first come, first served, while supply lasts, to anyone who plans to host a Drop In & Decorate cookies-for-donation party.
Many of Pillsbury's products retail for less than $3.00, so these VIP coupons have real value, and best of all, products are available in supermarkets everywhere. We baked up some Pillsbury reduced-sugar sugar cookies a few days ago (I'll share some photos later this week).
We're delighted to be partnering with Pillsbury this season to help make Drop In & Decorate easier and affordable for anyone who wants to organize a cookies-for-donation party.
Right now, we also have some Comfort Grip™ cookie cutters, donated by Wilton, available to hosts while supply lasts, in a variety of shapes that are perfect for making large, festive cookies. Thank you, Wilton!
Right now, it's time to download our "How to host your own cookie decorating party" guide, and get your party started.
The idea behind Drop In & Decorate is simple: bake some cookies; gather a group (or you and your kids) to decorate the cookies together; donate the cookies to a nonprofit agency serving basic human needs in your own community.
It’s a simple idea in a complicated world, something anyone can do.
Something you can do, right now.
*** To request Pillsbury coupons and Wilton cookie cutters for a cookies-for-donation event, send an email to lydia AT dropinanddecorate DOT org or lydia AT ninecooks DOT com.***
Read what others are saying about Drop In & Decorate 2009:
Holiday project idea: Drop In & Decorate (Sarah's Cucina Bella)
World Series Cookies for Drop In & Decorate (In Good Taste)
Drop In & Decorate: Bake, Decorate and Donate Cookies (Food Blogga)
Drop In & Decorate! (La Mia Cucina)
A Sweet Idea and a Sweet Snack (One Hot Stove)
Drop In & Decorate: 10,000 Cookies and 10,000 Smiles (Culinary Types)
Drop In & Decorate: Have Fun, Do Good (In the Kitchen and On the Road with Dorie)
Cause and effect (Hedonia)
Drop In & Decorate: 10,000 cookies = 10,000 smiles (Cora Cooks)
Drop In & Decorate (Savor the Thyme)
Culinary art with a touch of service (DinnerCakes)
Drop In & Decorate (Andrea Meyers)
Get free cookie mix for a Drop In & Decorate party (Chew on That)
Cookies make people happy (What's Cooking Blog)
Drop In & Decorate: Bake, Decorate and Donate Cookies (Young Mothers Serving Others)
Cookies for a Cause: Drop In & Decorate (Kitchen Gadget Girl Cooks)
Cookies for Giving: Works for Me Wednesday (Bake at 350)
Drop In & Decorate {Cookies=Smiles} (Tidy Mom)
Drop In & Decorate This Holiday Season (InnCuisine)
Who will decorate the 10,000th cookie? (The Inadvertent Gardener)
Go on, make my day! (Grow. Cook. Eat.)
Will yours be the 10,000th cookie? (Fresh Eyes)
Drop In & Decorate for the holidays (Sticky Gooey Creamy Chewy)
Drop In & Decorate (The Cooking Adventures of Chef Paz)
Drop In & Decorate (No Fear Entertaining)
Drop In & Decorate (Thyme for Cooking, The Blog)
Drop In & Decorate -- Cookies for Donation (A Year of Slow Cooking)
Special thanks to Kalyn's Kitchen, Tartelette, Lucullian Delights and Last Night's Dinner.
More about our Mother's Day events:
Mother's Day 2009 (Kat's Kitchen Place)
Lydia...my post will be up tonight. :)
Posted by: bridget{bake at 350} | November 10, 2009 at 10:02 AM
What WONDERFUL idea!! I'm in!! I just made a post about it!! I can't wait to do this!
Posted by: TidyMom | November 11, 2009 at 09:48 AM
Lydia,
I wanted to let you know that I shared your story on my blog. Keep up the great work!
Christine
Posted by: Christine @ Fresh Local and Best | November 14, 2009 at 09:43 PM
Thanks Bridget, TidyMom and Christine for helping to spread the word!
Posted by: Lydia | November 14, 2009 at 10:59 PM
Wonderful...and I was originally just planning a gift/neccessities drive for local families centered around decorating cookies and cupcakes...guess we will be doing more. Awesome Idea! Post soon to follow.
Posted by: Kay H. | November 15, 2009 at 12:14 PM