Chelsea and Jack Hoover (youth from Aldersgate UMC, Mechanicsburg) responded to the COVID crisis by developing a “Cookie Challenge” outreach project. Chelsea spent most of spring 2020 baking because “there was nothing else to do”, but eventually her baking exceeded the bellies of her family and friends and was in danger of contributing to their “quarantine 15”! With the help of Pastor Jan Hughes and Pastor Hannah Pratt Sledge, Chelsea and Jack created the Cookie Challenge!
Once a month, Jack films a video to be posted to social media, challenging their friends and family to join them in baking cookies for those in need. Individually bagged cookies are then collected and donated to Community Cares in Carlisle, the Blessing Box program in Mechanicsburg, and an essential food distribution site in Allison Hill.
Aldersgate Church and their Revolution Youth have been partners in collecting cookies along with Jack and Chelsea’s friends from school and other activities. Over the summer, Jack and Chelsea enjoyed the opportunity to participate in the distribution of the cookies in Allison Hill with friends from the Journey Church in Harrisburg.
For their Christmas Cookie challenge, Jack and Chelsea had a goal of giving all the families at the Allison Hill distribution site a dozen Christmas cookies while continuing to share with the programs in Carlisle and Mechanicsburg. This time, the youth at Calvary UMC in Harrisburg joined in to help and together we were able to give 150 families a beautiful assortment of Christmas cookies.
The total number of cookies donated since the beginning of the cookie challenge in May is 7,015!
Jack and Chelsea have heard amazing stories from bakers as they’ve creatively responded to the challenge. Cookies have been prayed over. Inspirational and kind messages have been written on the bags for the cookie recipients. They have been blown away by dedicated bakers who contribute every month. Their most significant experience has been the opportunity to connect with so many people through this project. The community’s response and enthusiasm to the challenge has been inspiring and the outcome exceptionally sweet.
