Albertville Mom Introduces Sweet Snacking Without the Guilt

Many consider eating sweets over the holidays to be a guilty pleasure, but an Albertville mom with a love of baking has found a way to replace that guilt with the uplifting feeling that comes with generosity towards those in need. Jessica Schmitz combines sweet treats with community giving through her new Bake and Give Project.

Schmitz started doing a lot more baking when she became a stay-at-home mom last year. She started baking and giving treats to others just to bring some cheer to their day, but she felt she wanted to give something bigger and more immediately useful for families going through difficult situations. To help out with her cause, all you need to do is order your homemade cookies or cupcakes here-or give them as a gift-and all of the profits will go to select local families in difficult situations. Orders can be placed with Jessica at possiblebaker@gmail.com.

Currently, all profits will be to help the Morris family from Dassel, whose 21-month-old son, Elijah, is beating the odds in a battle for his life. In April, Elijah was diagnosed with meningococcemia and went into septic shock, resulting in a long medical journey and necessary amputations on Elijah’s little hands and feet.

One of Schmitz’s Bake and Give Project customers is Tami Morton. After reading about the Bake and Give Project through a link to her blog on Facebook, she purchased cookies as a gift for her grandfather’s 75^th birthday.

“They were truly delicious and carefully made cookies,” Morton said. “The family Jessica had chosen as [the recipient of the profits] was struggling with a child with health challenges.  I too have had a child with high medical needs and understand the strain that it puts on a family. It was the least I could to do help a family in need while also providing a "gift" to my fantastic grandfather who wants for nothing but to help others.”

Cookies are $12 per dozen and cupcakes are $20 per dozen. The cookies can be carefully packaged to prevent breaking and shipped for an additional $8 fee, but Schmitz said the cupcakes are for local delivery only since they aren’t well suited for shipping, though there is a possibility to meet a little farther away, such as in Maple Grove.  Each package contains a little card telling the recipient about whom the baked goods are helping. Schmitz said she plans to choose a new recipient every six months, in January and July.

 As an even bigger bonus, Ramsey’s Rum River Chiropractic-owned by Schmitz’s husband, Brian-will match all money brought in through the Bake and Give Project.

“It’s pretty exciting that we can double what we can give,” Schmitz said.