Following the Drive-In Movie Night, Advocates for Children is also planning their Annual Cookie Competition. For this event, the organization recruits local chefs and other community partners to pair with a child who is currently staying at the Flowering Branch Children’s Shelter. Together the chef and child team design and bake a holiday cookie.
The cookies are then featured in the community partners’ restaurants, shops, and boutiques throughout the city. Community members can then vote for their favorite cookie starting November 2 by donating on the team’s dedicated page. For every dollar that a person donates, the team gets one vote. On December 3, preceding the Cartersville Christmas Parade, a panel of judges will taste the cookie submissions. Their critiques make up 50 percent of the scoring in the final process.
Castillo states, “This event is so much fun for the children. We strive so hard to give these kids a sense of normalcy, and the holidays are an especially difficult time to make this happen. We are so grateful to the community for helping lift these kids’ spirit and give them hope.”
Advocates for Children is a non-profit organization that is committed to the prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect. Founded as a children’s shelter in 1983, Advocates for Children has since expanded and now includes eight different programs across eleven counties. The mission of the organization is “To strengthen our community of families by offering safety, comfort and hope to children and preventing child abuse in all its forms.” If you would like to learn more about Advocates for Children or how to get involved in these upcoming events, contact Renee Shields, Development Director, at renee@advochild.org.