Baking Memories 4 Kids Gives Sick Children A Dream Vacation

NYACK, NY — Frank Squeo's been baking cookies since he was 5, and now his cookie-based foundation brings extraordinary joy to children with life-threatening illnesses and their families.

From each batch sold and every donation received, Baking Memories 4 Kids is able to provide an all-expense paid vacation to all the theme parks in Orlando, Florida for dozens of families a year.

"Instead of just asking for donations, we bake 180,000 cookies," he said.

Baking Memories 4 Kids is hosting its Annual Holiday Cookie Fundraiser. Baking Memories 4 Kids signature Chocolate Chip Cookies are available now until the end of the year on the website.

In the 11 years since Squeo survived his own battle with cancer, the foundation has sold more than 4 million cookies and provided trips for more than 275 families nationwide.

Squeo talked to Patch from Arizona, where he was about to surprise a child and their family with their gift. He was headed to St. Louis next, to give another child the same surprise — and then back to New York for this year's cookie baking, packing and shipping marathon. After a two year absence due to the pandemic, Baking Memories 4 Kids is back in the teaching kitchens of Rockland Board of Cooperative Education Services. Volunteers bake, package and ship thousands of chocolate chip cookies every year.

"It’s a lot of work," he admitted. "And we sell them too, over these two days, they’re nice and hot. People show up during the day. They know they're amazing — and more than that, they know what we do with the proceeds."

Baking Memories's fundraising drive is limited to December. The more cookies sold then, the more kids get to go on trips — each of which costs upward of $15,000.

Last year, they sold about 10,000 containers. This year, Squeo hopes to double that.

"A child whose life is full of doctors and surgeries — we give those families something to look forward to and look back at," he said. "Mom and Dad watching their kids be kids for a week? There is no price you can put on that."

The trip is amazing, said Squeo. "We fly them down. Every park pass. Rental car. Everything paid for. The family can just go and be family. It’s about memories."

He admitted he has always loved the Disney parks.

"Plus I’ve made these cookies since I was 5 years old. When it snowed, I would take out the chips. I have a pool service business. I would bake and take cookies to clients as thank-you gifts. It just lined up perfectly," he said. "It was really a destiny moment. If it wasn’t for miracles, I would never have survived the cancer I had. People helping is what makes all this what it is."

In December, Baking Memories 4 Kids ships their cookies across the United States for free. Go to the website and send a few tins as gifts. You could also nominate a family, make a donation, or learn more.