Kevin A. Roberts
Seven years ago, local teenagers were invited to a North Grand Neighborhood Services meeting to tell community leaders what they needed most: jobs. And not just any jobs—they wanted jobs that wouldn’t interfere with school, because the neighborhood’s dropout rate is astronomical. They also wanted jobs that wouldn’t require transportation and that would be fun and teach them important skills.
Shortly after that meeting, Angel Baked Cookies (2425 Fall, 314-449-1821, angelbaked.org) opened up shop in a North St. Louis parish kitchen. More than 20 high-school teenagers have since participated in the program—and 100 percent of them have graduated high school, many continuing on to higher education.“The most exciting thing about the program is to instill confidence in our teens that they have the ability to do something great, have someone trust in them. Often, that gives them the confidence to apply to college and think long-term,” says program manager Carla Jones.
Students bake three types of cookies—sugar, chocolate chip, and oatmeal raisin—from 3 to 6 p.m., for $7.50 an hour. They also help with product sales and marketing, and are paid to attend workshops on subjects such as financial literacy, professionalism, and scholarships.
“It’s awesome to see them taking ownership of their work and talking to people out in the community that they probably wouldn’t connect with otherwise,” Jones says. “It’s great to see that personal growth in them and the support they give each other, especially when many of our kids are dealing with difficult personal situations.”
Currently, Angel Baked Cookies employs about 15 students and produces nearly 1,200 cookies per week, but it’s hoping to expand to 5,000 per week. That, in addition to grants and private donations, would help cover program costs. The cookies are sold at Straub’s, several Schnucks and Dierbergs locations, Fields Foods, local hospital gift shops, and on the organization’s website.
