Cookie Cart’s Response to COVID-19
April 2nd Update:
Thank you to everyone who has reached out, shared words of encouragement, purchased cookies, or donated in the last month. We are grateful for your continued support as it fuels us to fulfill our mission to provide work, life and leadership skills to teens even in this new reality.
In response to the current recommendations regarding COVID-19, we have consolidated our bakery operations to our Saint Paul bakery, where the space is more conducive for social distancing amongst staff, and temporarily closed our Minneapolis bakery. I’m happy to share that we are still producing cookies, led by our adult staff and a team of Bakery Assistants, who are youth employees who graduated from our standard youth program after turning 18. And we’re still employing youth, but instead of scooping and packing cookies, they are busy with online curriculum to stay on track with their classroom learning.
This is where we could use your help. As you know, cookie sales help fund our youth employment program and many of those sales went to organizations hosting large events. In this new environment without large gatherings, our cookie sales have taken quite a hit. We know that many of you out there are looking for ways to connect with friends and family and send messages of support. The best way we know how to do that is with cookies. Whether you send cookies to loved ones who live far away or distribute cookies to the neighbors on your block, the gift of Cookie Cart cookies is great way to show you’re thinking of them. And we’ve partnered with three local health care organizations (Fairview Southdale pictured) to allow our supporters to send cookies to workers on the frontlines.
Although uncertainty is weighing on us all, we are confident that Cookie Cart is set up for success because of our partnerships, community, and support network. While the road ahead may not be what we anticipated, we are committed to providing young people in our communities with the work, life and leadership skills they need to be successful.
Thank you in advance for partnering with us as we work to replace lost cookie sales revenue and keep our operations running. And I hope you and your family and friends are staying safe and healthy as we all manage through these tumultuous times.
Warmly,
Matt Halley
Executive Director
March 20 Update:
We want to thank everyone who ordered cookies, donated, or sent words of encouragement this week. We’re grateful to have you in our community during this time.
We have 2 updates given the most recent information on the COVID-19 situation.
First, our Minneapolis bakery will close temporarily, starting today. We are moving all production to our Saint Paul bakery to best support the safety and well-being of our staff. We are taking precautions in response to COVID-19 to prevent contamination and minimize spread of the virus. We have increased our focus on food safety and sanitation in our bakery, including heightened hand washing standards, increased frequency of sanitizing workstations, and limiting the number of staff in the bakery to abide by social distancing recommendations.
Second, to continue fulfilling your cookie needs, we are now offering contactless Parking Lot Pick Up at our Saint Paul bakery! Order online or call ahead and pay by phone, and pick up at our back door. Cookies are a great way to spread joy and sweetness, which we could all use more of. 🍪🧡
- Call 612-843-1947 to place your order and pay
- Park in the lot behind our building and ring the buzzer at our back door
- Grab your order from the shelf inside the door
- Enjoy your cookies!
We are still offering delivery and pick up for orders placed on our website: shop.cookiecart.org
Updated Saint Paul Bakery Hours: Sunday: Noon – 4 pm | Monday – Friday: 10 am – 4 pm
March 16 Update: as of March 16, our lobbies are no longer open to guests. Our bakeries remain open for pick up orders or for customers to purchase cookies from our case. Please ring the buzzer at our back doors for entry.
March 13, 2020
Dear Friends of Cookie Cart,
Cookie Cart is committed to the safety and well-being of our youth and adult employees, volunteers, customers, and community. We are taking precautions in response to COVID-19 (or novel coronavirus) in order to do our part to prevent contamination and minimize spread of the virus. The current situation is fluid and we are monitoring and responding to the most current updates from the Minnesota Department of Health, the CDC, the FDA, and other local policy makers.
Based on current recommendations from these agencies, Cookie Cart is maintaining regular operations with an increased focus on food safety and sanitation in our bakeries. These enhanced practices include heightened hand washing standards as well as increased frequency of sanitizing common areas and workstations.
In addition to food safety and sanitation practices, we are making decisions in the interest of our youth and adult staff, volunteers, customers, and communities to help slow the spread of the virus. These decisions include:
- Postponing any external activities for our youth employees including sales events, workplace visits, and our Take the Lead Breakfast Fundraiser
- Encouraging adult staff who can work from home to do so
- Reminding youth and adult staff to stay home if they feel sick, have a fever, are coughing, sneezing and/or experience shortness of breath
We recognize the importance of our programming for our youth employees and their families and want to emphasize our commitment to our mission, as well as the short- and long-term safety and well-being of our youth and adult employees, and our communities. Cookie Cart will continue to stay informed about the evolving situation and is positioned to adapt and respond as needed to best serve our youth, adults, and communities.
Please be in touch if you have any questions or concerns. And thank you for your continued support of Cookie Cart.
Warmly,
Matt Halley
Executive Director