Continental Kosher Bakery in Valley Village has created a special puzzle piece sugar cookie to increase awareness and raise funds for the Los Angeles Walk Now for Autism Speaks. They will be selling the cookies and donating a portion of sales to Autism Speaks to support the organization’s work to increase awareness about the growing autism epidemic, fund innovative autism research and family services, and advocate for the needs of individuals with autism and their families.
“My friend whose son has autism came to me with the idea and I said yes immediately,†said Eddy Polon, owner of Continental Kosher Bakery. “It only took a few weeks to bring it all together. Once we found the mold to make the cookie, it was just a matter of perfecting the process and getting it right. This has turned into something that’s a lot of fun and will help many people. I’m thrilled that we can be part of it and really make a difference because I know autism has a huge impact on families.
Added Phillip Hain, Executive Director of Autism Speaks’ Los Angeles Chapter, “Eddy Polon has the perfect approach. He understands that businesses can partner with organizations very easily and do something that benefits everyone involved. April is Autism Awareness Month and the Los Angeles Walk Now for Autism Speaks is taking place April 24 at the Rose Bowl so the timing could not be more appropriate.â€
The cookies will be available at Continental Kosher Bakery starting April 13 for $1 each or $11.50 per dozen. People can also buy them to use for their own fundraisers to support their walk team. The bakery requires two days notice to make an order. They can be reached at (818) 762-5005 and the address is 12419 Burbank Blvd., Valley Village, CA 91607.
Contact: Jess Block, Autism Speaks Publicity Chair, (909) 706-8525 or JessBlockPR@gmail.com; Kaitlyn Mack, PR Coordinator, at kaitmack12@hotmail.com; or Phillip Hain, Autism Speaks Los Angeles Chapter Executive Director, (323) 297-4727 or phain@autismspeaks.org.
ABOUT WALK NOW FOR AUTISM: The 8th annual Walk Now for Autism Speaks 2010 event will take place April 24, 2010 in Pasadena. Last year’s walk hosted 17,000 people and raised 1.27M at the Pasadena Rose Bowl. Walk Now for Autism Speaks is North America’s largest grassroots autism walk. www.walknowforautism.org.
ABOUT AUTISM SPEAKS: Autism Speaks is the world’s largest autism advocacy organization, increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders, funding research into the causes, prevention and treatments for autism, and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. www.autismspeaks.org
ABOUT AUTISM: According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), autism now affects 1% or 1 in every 110 American children, including 1 in 70 boys. Autism is a complex condition that affects a person’s ability to communicate and develop social relationships, and is often accompanied by behavioral challenges.
