A percentage of every purchase of an Erin Baker’s™ product is donated to the “Help Feed 1 Million Kids Program” that provided 100,000 breakfasts to kids at Boys & Girls Clubs in Washington in 2015. Below, Erin visits kids at the Bellingham club.

We’ve all been there, rushing out the door to work, school, an appointment, or to catch the bus while neglecting breakfast in our haste. In 1994 Erin Baker purchased her first Kitchen Aid mixer and, inspired by her mother’s wholesome baking, set her sights on creating a solution to this common situation—a healthy, grab-n-go breakfast treat.

a healthy, grab-n-go breakfast treat

Erin set up shop in a rented 4-H kitchen, and from those humble beginnings her business has grown to become an impressive local success story. Erin Baker’s™ Oatmeal Raisin Homestyle Granola was featured in Oprah magazine, the bakery was profiled in an episode of Unwrapped on the Food Network, and when flying Delta Air Lines you can nosh on an Erin Baker’s™ Breakfast Cookie included in the airline’s in-flight snacks.

From the Cookie Maker

Toast your favorite flavor of breakfast cookie for a delicious toasty treat.

Of course, the Co-op was way ahead of any of those highfalutin accolades—we’ve been fans since the beginning, and you can still buy the full assortment of breakfast cookies and granola (also in bulk) in our stores.

Beyond the delicious, whole-grain treats Erin Baker’s™Wholesome Baked Goods makes in its Ohio Street bakery in Bellingham, there are plenty of other reasons to love this local business—1 million of them in fact.

After learning that many children were arriving at the Whatcom County chapter of the Boys and Girls Club without eating breakfast, Erin established the “Help Feed 1 Million Kids Program.” In 2015, the business delivered more than 8,300 Breakfast Cookie Minis, in colorful kid-friendly packaging, to Boys and Girls Clubs across Washington state and to Homeport Learning Center in Bellingham—that’s 100,000 breakfasts for hungry kids!

But Erin didn’t stop there. Her company also partners with the Mt. Baker Ski Area to provide a free Erin Baker’s™Breakfast Cookie or cup of Homestyle Granola and milk to kids of all ages in Mt. Baker Ski Area’s Winter Ride Program. In addition, 100 percent of the proceeds of all Erin Baker’s™ Wholesome Baked Goods sold at the ski area benefit the children of the Winter Ride Program, providing scholarships and gear to kids who otherwise might miss out.

Just like Erin Baker’s™, the Co-op is passionate about giving back to our local community and increasing access to healthy food for everyone. Next time you’re in the Co-op, stock up on some Erin Baker’s™ Wholesome Baked Goods to help ease your morning rush, and know that with every purchase you are supporting a local business that in turn supports local kids.