Bakery to Host Fundraiser for Cancer Patients

Susansnaps, the area’s only gourmet gingersnap cookie company, will host Sweets for Smiles, a fundraiser for cancer patients, Friday and Saturday at its store in Sandy Springs.

All proceeds from the sale of Susansnap Spice Cake Slices ($4) and gingersnap Snack Packs ($5.50) will be donated to the Susan Carver Foundation, which provides funds for cancer research. For every $2 raised, a bag of gingersnaps will be given to cancer patients going through treatment during the Christmas holidays. Ginger is a natural stomach soother.

The store is located at 229 Hilderbrand Drive, and hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Year-round, 10 percent of the store’s proceeds are donated to cancer patients.

Susan Robbins, who was named after her aunt, Susan Carver, who died in 1977 from Hodgkin’s disease, had the same cancer but has been free of the disease for five years. She and her mother, Laura Stachler, own Susansnaps, which was started as a home business in 2005. It was inspired by Ms. Stachler’s joy of cooking and an effort to give her daughter soothing cookies while going through cancer treatments. The store opened in December, and this is Susansnaps’ first fundraiser since opening the store.

“We felt like we saw a need,” Ms. Stachler said. “A lot of people don’t know what to do or what to give. … It’s a lovely way to remember people and it’s an easy way for the whole community to give back. Just with $2 we’re trying to help these patients. … We’re not trying to save the world, but we know this one small gesture will help these patients.”

Ms. Robbins added, “[Cancer patients] actually really just love getting something fun for five minutes that takes time away from something serious. We do share our story on the packaging and it’s unbelievably nice that patients call us, e-mail us or even come by the store to say thank you for bringing them gifts. They also know they’re not forgotten at such a difficult time.”

She also said cancer patients were grateful when she and her mother have delivered them cookies in the past.

“A good cookie makes everybody a little bit happy,” Ms. Robbins said. “When we walked into the cancer centers last year, people’s faces instantly lit up.”