ST. LOUIS – Welcome Neighbor STL, an organization that serves refugees and immigrants in St. Louis, has announced that their holiday cookie program featuring refugee and immigrant chefs from around the world will be returning this season.
The holiday cookie packages will be available to pick up on December 6 and December 23. 90% of the proceeds will go directly back to the chefs who prepared the desserts with their original recipes, and 10% will cover the cost of ingredients, kitchen rental, packaging, etc. The ServSafe certified chefs include a team of five women from different countries.
Last year, Welcome Neighbor STL offered one holiday cookie package, and raised $10,000 through the program. This year, they will offer three different holiday cookie packages. Customers can choose between an Afghan and Syrian cookie box; a Syrian, Afghan, and Indian cookie box, and/or a Moroccan, Iraqi, and Syrian cookie box. Each box will contain 16 cookies from the countries and is $50. Visit the events page of the Welcome Neighbor STL’s website at https://welcomeneighborstl.org/events-directory/ to order the cookie boxes.
Arezo Aryan is one of the chefs. “I am from Afghanistan. I have been in the USA since 2018. I love the rights and the job opportunities for women, so they can help other people. Thanks to all of you for supporting us,” she says.
Ghaida Masrabi is another of the chefs. “I am from Syria and I love baking. My mother and my husband taught me how to make cookies,” she says.
Badur Mohamed is also one of the chefs. “I am from India. My family and I came to the USA in January 2012. We love St. Louis and we love the kind and helpful people here,” she says.
About Welcome Neighbor STL: Welcome Neighbor STL partners with refugee and immigrant families, connecting them with people and opportunities that will empower them to build and live their best life in St. Louis. Learn more about the organization at WelcomeNeighborSTL.org.