Joy & Comfort Holiday Basket Drive

My mom used to tell me stories of baking in the red house, speaking fondly of Mrs. Eiswerth, and sharing her confectionery wisdom as I tried to read the instructions from the back of a Tollhouse bag. I wasn’t great at measuring with my little hands, confusing the dry and liquid cups, and I wasn’t patient enough to let the butter come to room temperature. But our cookies, a combination of her skill and my eagerness, were always delicious.

Some calendar flips later, I recall one of the first batches of cookies I baked with my little sister. Leaning on what I knew, I would smooth the edges of the familiar yellow bag and read the Tollhouse recipe aloud as she would use her little hands to carefully measure the ingredients. I added my own wisdom to the lesson, because “baking is more of an art than a science”, and would splash vanilla extract directly into the bowl as she laughed. She would add the chips and lick the spoon. I carefully placed the sheet into the oven.

There are countless stories that tie food to memory, to cook & bake & eat is to remember, is to return—to the people you love, to the person you were, like flipping open a photo album. Many of us have foods that bring our family joy and comfort this time of year, and what better gift than to share our own holiday cheer with neighbors.

Our elf traveled 75 miles across four counties in north central PA to deliver Joy & Comfort baskets to families for the holidays.

Thank you to our volunteer chefs for each donation! They were thoughtfully crafted & clearly full of love, and each family expressed immense gratitude. One mom even shared that it’s her birthday today and our quick elf delivery made it all the merrier.