Stepping into Cookie Cart on Broadway in North Minneapolis, visitors are met with the rich aroma of fresh-baked cookies and a sense of something special. For alumni like Quentin Moore and Johnny BLESSED, the experience stirs up more than just appetites -- it evokes heartfelt nostalgia.
"It's like coming home," Moore shared.
"When I walked in, I thought, 'Oh my gosh! What is going on?' The memories just came flooding back," added BLESSED.
Both men began their professional journeys at Cookie Cart, where they gained much more than a paycheck. For them and countless others, it was the launchpad for personal growth, leadership, and a lifelong connection to community.
Cookie Cart is not just a bakery; it's a beacon of opportunity for teens in North Minneapolis and St. Paul. The nonprofit combines hands-on work experience with career and leadership development workshops, equipping young people, primarily youth of color, with the skills they need to succeed.
"We center everything around young people," said Jacquelyn Carpenter, Cookie Cart's Executive Director. "It's about fostering confidence, accountability, and compassion -- building the foundation for great citizens, employees, and leaders."
At its core, the bakery is a classroom where teens learn teamwork, problem-solving, and the art of resilience while creating something tangible -- and delicious.
What began in Sister Jean Thuerauf's kitchen in the 1980s as a small baking project has evolved into two thriving bakeries. Over the decades, Cookie Cart has stayed true to its mission: using cookies as a tool to teach invaluable life skills.
"Truly, the secret ingredient here is the young people," Carpenter said. "When we help teens uncover their inherent value and unlock their potential, we're not just impacting today -- we're shaping a brighter future."
For alumni like Moore, now working in philanthropy, and BLESSED, a community leader, Cookie Cart's lessons endure far beyond the bakery doors.
"It taught me grit, tenacity, and confidence," Moore said. "It's a foundation that influences every part of my life."
BLESSED echoed the sentiment: "It's not about me -- it's about all of us. We're a team, and together we make things happen."
Today's youth are following in their footsteps, discovering their own potential through the act of mixing, baking, and decorating.
Cookie Cart alumni carry the program's lessons into their roles as parents, employees, and community leaders.
"It's a ripple effect," Moore explained. "What you learn here shapes how you engage with others and contribute to your community."
Carpenter added, "We're so much more than a bakery. We're creating leaders, building connections, and helping dismantle systemic inequities -- one cookie at a time."
Cookie Cart's mission is proof that with the right ingredients -- opportunity, guidance, and trust -- young people can achieve remarkable things.
To learn more about Cookie Cart or to support its transformative work, visit CookieCart.org.