Nathalie and her family have always made it their goal to do something special for the Roswell Community Masjid during the month of Ramadan, and in the past years, have made their impact through their annual lemonade stand. The stand would draw in a large number of people from across the community and inspire others to give back in ways of their own. This year, however, was quite different, as a lemonade stand was difficult with the risks that came with directly interacting with customers. Despite the challenge, the family was determined to surpass their goal of $3,000 that they met last year, and turned to baking and delivering homemade cookies to the doors of all of their supporters, instead.

They began with brainstorming- how many cookies would be in one order? How much would they cost? How would they be promoted, packaged, and delivered? After about a week, they came up with their plan and were ready to put it into action. The week following would be full of early mornings, baking dozens upon dozens of cookies, making grocery runs to restock ingredients, and delivering to house after house, all while fasting.

As the week progressed, orders continued to flood in as more family and friends heard about the project. The production process, though rapid, ran smoothly. Nathalie described their biggest challenge to be fasting while baking throughout the day, as the smell of freshly baked cookies would fill the house, making their mouths water. She felt, however, that it was this same challenge that made the whole experience worthwhile.

When describing her admiration for her children and their motivation to give back to their community, she says, “I am grateful and humbled by their heart and their dedication to giving back to a second home like RCM. It was not just about making cookies and making money... it was the lesson behind it”. She also expressed her gratitude to the community, stating, “I can’t begin to tell you how full my heart is to have a community like we have here...These are the people I wanna surround myself with... these are the people I want my children to surround themselves with... these are the people I want to call my family”. In the end, the family went above and beyond the goal they’d set for themselves, raising $7,400 for the Roswell Community Masjid, and proving that their determination to continue their habit of giving back had the power to overcome the challenges brought about by COVID19.

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