It's more than just a cookie...
it's building new relationships!
I am part of the Volunteer Committee at work. We try to set
up volunteer events for our entire department at least every few months. In
August, we went to the Mano a Mano, a great organization that collects and
sorts donations to send to Bolivia. Their goal is to improve health and
increase economic well-being. They are a great organization and always looking
for volunteers! http://manoamano.org/
The Cookie Cart is a
great place that incorporates real-life skills in a "first paid job"
position. Their mission is to provide teens with lasting and meaningful work,
life and leadership skills through experience and training in an urban
nonprofit bakery.
The job is simple enough for anyone ages 15-17. You make
cookies and run the cash register for customers! Unlike a traditional work
setting, the Bakery Program allows youth to learn from their mistakes, viewing
them as teaching opportunities. Young adults are also given the chance to teach
each other, providing them with opportunities to hone what they have learned
and develop leadership skills. We worked alongside these employees for a few
hours. Some were soft spoken, some were demanding (ask Luke) and everyone was
courteous, helpful and educated.
What we learned while we were there, was that they have
classroom training and a program called the "360 Degree Program."
This program is a classroom and community-based program that builds upon the
skills youth learn in the bakery and offers comprehensive employment and job
search skills training to help them find and keep traditional jobs in the
mainstream workforce. Each worked has a chance to go through the program and
get "scored" and certified, which they can then put on their resume.
Not only do the employees have the opportunity to develop
skills for their future career, they also have a chance to learn about
important life skills. Raneisha, one of the employees who showed us the ropes,
said she was happy to learn about personal finance. They teach them about how
to budget, needs vs wants and smart ways to save. Altogether, they have 3
training programs they can go through, plus they have the opportunity to get
help with their resumes and offer mock interviews. We were going to help with
that...but it was easy to see that the kitchen was where all the action was!
In the kitchen, you will see everyone buzzing around working
near the oven, packing boxes for orders and shaping the dough! We worked in 4
groups, each with 1-2 teens at our "dough table." They really aren't
called dough tables, but that's what I call them. Most volunteers were scooping
the dough and adding the finishing touches. Little tip - if you make M&M®
Cookies, place the M&Ms face down on your cooking sheet (but use parchment
paper). That way, they are less likely to fall off while cooking!
#OneSmartCookie
While scooping the dough with these employees, it gives you
a chance to interact with them. We learned about the process of getting a job
(they interviewed 10 people while we were there!), what the guidelines are, how
much they make and bake during the day, how to handle difficult customers...the
list goes on. Everyone who was able to go enjoyed the experience. They say they
need a lot of help during the holiday time...in case anyone wants to volunteer
again.
For those not in MN - they do ship freshly baked cookies! http://shop.cookiecart.org/
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