Happy Monday! Today’s post is sure to get your mouth watering … and to excite your sweet tooth!
Pictured above are The Spencer Family’s famous Salt Carmels. This is the third year that the Spencers have transformed their home into a candy factory for the months of November and December. The idea for this holiday bake sale was born after the family’s trip to Tanzania, during which they spent some time at TFFT’s partner Matonyok Parents’ Trust and had the opportunity to meet Meghann. The bake sale has grown tremendously over the past three years, and this year the sale has already sold $6,000 worth of candies, exceeding the family’s $5,000 goal. It is definitely labor of love. Patty say she considers it her full-time job for the month of November and into December! She starts at 6:30am and works throughout the day! You can read the recap from last year’s sale here.
This is a prime example of the many creative opportunities that exist to do something that you love to benefit a cause. This bake sale and the Spencer Family’s commitment to TFFT and Sophia and Janet (the sweet girls they sponsor through TFFT’s Scholarship Program) blow us away year after year. What an inspiring and DELICIOUS way to give back! I’ll leave you with an interview with Patty herself. I’m off to have some of her English Toffee!
How did you first hear about The Foundation For Tomorrow?
We first heard about The Foundation For Tomorrow when we were in Tanzania on safari three years ago. We wanted to do some volunteer work at the end of our trip, and our Safari organization hooked us up with TFFT.
What is it that drew you to TFFT’s work?
What drew us to TFFT was meeting Meghann Gunderman, the Founder and Executive Director of TFFT. She happened to be in Tanzania when we were there, and we were lucky to be able to hear directly from her about the educational needs for orphaned or abandoned children in Tanzania. We were so impressed by Meghann, and all the TFFT staff. They had such amazing hearts, and we witnessed first hand the work they were doing. We came home inspired and have been supporters of TFFT ever since!
This is your third holiday bake sale for TFFT. How have you continued to grow this annual tradition?
With each successive bake sale, we have tried to expand our reach. We have taken the sale to our neighborhood, our school community, and church and now are asking our friends to help spread the word to their circles. We hope this year to raise $5000.00, and more importantly, through our sale, we hope to educate our friends and community about TFFT. We want people to understand the power of education in developing countries like Tanzania, and why investing in education is the smart thing to do! Why? Because education gives people the skills they need to help themselves out of poverty and into prosperity.
With such a busy schedule, how do you find time and energy for such an enormous undertaking?
This year, I am fortunate to have some help from my daughter’s friends and schoolmates at Holy Names Academy. Service is part of the mission at Holy Names, and several girls were anxious to help when they learned about the vision and work of TFFT.
Do you accept out of state orders?
If we get enough interest we would consider it for next year, but right now we are not set up to ship.
What advice would you give someone who wanted to creatively give back?
If you have a passion, or something that you love to do, turn it into something that gives benefit to someone else….I love to cook, so once a month I help prepare meals for both the Women’s and Men’s Shelters. The Bake Sale is another way I can use my love of cooking to help raise money for something I feel passionate about.
What do you consider to be the biggest blessing in your life?
My wonderful family is my biggest blessing. I have a husband who always supports me, and a daughter with a beautiful heart and soul. I am also blessed to have a great community of friends who I love.
Thank you, Patty! Are you interested in starting something to benefit TFFT? Email me at Kaitlin@TheFoundationForTomorrow.org!