Kids 4 Kids bake stand in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, raises funds for Ronald McDonald House
At the corner of Ponds View Drive and Willits Way, a group of children is spending part of their summer not at the pool, but behind a table filled with cupcakes, cookies and cake pops for a good cause.
The annual bake stand, called Kids 4 Kids, is the brainchild of Glen Mills mom Brianne Krysiak, who started the fundraiser in 2018 in memory of her son, Gordon, who was stillborn at 19 weeks. This August, Gordie would have turned 10.
"It's a great excuse to help others and just see something positive out of something that was tragic," Brianne said.
The event runs for three days every August. Children from the neighborhood, including Krysiak's five kids, take part in the effort, selling baked goods to drivers and passersby from 11 a.m. to noon. All proceeds go to the Ronald McDonald House of Greater Delaware, which provides free lodging and support to families with children undergoing medical treatment far from home.
"Ronald McDonald House is just incredible," Brianne said. "Anything to help alleviate the stress for traveling parents is huge."
Brianne's 11-year-old son Bennett, who was just a toddler when Gordie died, helps lead the stand each year.
"We just bake and get stuff ready so we can donate it to the Ronald McDonald House," Bennett said. "[Gordon] passed away. It was brutal because I was like 3 or 4. I was, like, really sad."
This year, kids and neighbors are hoping to top last summer's total of $3,000 raised.
"This year I made cupcakes for the bake sale and it's always a great turnout," 17-year-old Addison Neff from Glen Mills said.
All the baked goods are either homemade or donated by local bakeries. The impact of the fundraiser goes far beyond the neighborhood.
"We think it's pretty cool that we have kids that are raising money to help other children," Pam Cornforth, president and CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Delaware, said. "We love that."
Even local officials stop by to show their support for the stand.
"I think it's great," James Callahan, director of zoning for Concord Township, said. "I think the kids should be out. Every time I see them, I try to support them."
The stand is open through Friday. On Saturday morning, the kids will hand-deliver the donation to Ronald McDonald House, a tradition that brings neighbors together year after year.
"It's very heartwarming," Brianne said. "Some years, you're just blown away by how many people show up. It's special."