Amelie Dinh '23 went on a mission trip in the fifth grade and what she learned has stayed with her since. She participated with Casa Building, an arm of Christus Ministries that builds homes for those in need in Mexico. Much like Habitat for Humanity, volunteers and community members work together to build the structures.

"I remember the family's tears as they saw their home for the first time," she said. "I'd never felt like my house was overly large but upon seeing their gratitude for a 400 square foot building, my house felt like a palace."

When she came to IWA, she reflected on that experience as she pondered the school's commitment to service. She knew she wanted to continue helping Casa Building, so she launched Bake to Build over the summer. The initiative sells cookies to raise money for the organization.

It costs $15,000 to build a house and Amelie knew she couldn't raise that on her own.

"I reached out, asking for volunteer bakers that would join my team," she told us. "Eight girls from IWA responded."

They're selling homemade cookies every Friday. Right now, Amelie said they're about halfway to their fundraising goal. So, if you see Amelie and her other Bake to Build team members, ask them about their project and how buying a sweet treat can help those in need.