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On the day they were moving her step- son into hospice care, she received an email asking her to participate in a bake sale to benefit pediatric cancer. "I don't believe in coincidences," says Mains. She responded to the public relations person—who knew only that Mains made delicious brownie brittle and might be interested in helping— and told him Scott's story. "It was the first time in months that my feeling of helpless- ness passed," she says. At that first sale in New York City, they raised $30,000. She had never been to Manhattan but when she arrived she met Gretchen Witt, who lost her son Liam at age six to pediatric cancer and founded Cookies for Kids' Cancer in 2008 with her husband Liam. "We hugged and cried, sharing what no two mothers ever want to share." Scott had Ewing Carcinoma, a rare cancer for adolescents and adults to get. "The problem is there's not enough research dollars going toward this type of cancer because it's so rare in adults. Less that 4 percent of money raised nationally for can- cer research goes toward pediatric cancer research," says Mains. Yet, 14,000 kids are diagnosed annually. "It's not just about the cure. It's about better treatment. The treat- ments are barbaric for children because they're meant for adults," she continues. The Witts pledged to support the development of more effective, less harmful treatments by giving people a simple way to get involved—bake sales. To date, the foundation has granted nearly $4 million to research. Getting the Word Out In 2012, Mains began organizing bake sales in her home base of West Palm Beach, Florida. Since then, Brownie Brittles' big bake sale occurs every September, coin- ciding with Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month. This year, Jacqueline's Gourmet Cookies in Salem, Massachusetts, also a CFKC partner, donated 25 cases of frozen dough to Brownie Brittle's sale. "We paid the freight and they sent the product." Mains aggressively markets the events with social media promotions and f lyers. "I do talks about pediatric cancer research two to three times per month, and I'm always sure to shout out about the sale." It pays off. In one day, they made $8,000 for the charity. The bake sales for CFKC are continu- ing to grow in number and often they are sparked by a personal connection to pediat- ric cancer, as was the case with the Mains. When a child is diagnosed with cancer, everyone around the child wants to help. Someone, often a member of the hospital staff, will talk about the work the charity is doing, and soon enough family friends are sponsoring bake sales themselves. CFKC also relies on social and digi- tal media to spread the word. "They don't have a lot of money to spend since it all goes toward funding the grants," says Mains, who contributes to the charity in additional ways: Each package of Brownie Brittle has a Cookies for Kids' Cancer logo on the back and a portion of the proceeds from each sale is donated to the organization. Choosing Wisely To be a successful partner with a charity, "there has to be a personal connection," says Mains. "You have to feel good about it and make sure everyone is on board, ready to roll up their sleeves and raise money. It takes up our employees' entire weekend to bake cookies." She recommends everyone on staff weigh in on the choice of charity because it is important they feel connected. Mains and two other employees work directly with CFKC throughout the year. "It doesn't end up taking a lot of time," she says. Her advice: "Giving back doesn't have to be on a national level; it can be regional WINTER 2016 71