Cookies for a good cause

Mia’s Cookie Jar is a powerful force of deliciousness

STILLWATER — Devin Villa’s 4-year-old While Mia hasn’t learned fractions yet, she knows daughter, Mia, is kind of famous these days. what her measuring cups look like. She can tell when

She’s not an actress or a singer. While she’s sive, even before you remember she’s a toddler. cute as a button, she’s not modeling kid clothes.

Mia, clad in pretty dresses, curly pigtails with bows picture for each delivery. The picture shows the first and a smile brighter than confectioners’ sugar, is a responders or essential workers she will be rewarding. baker. Her signature chocolate chip cookies have been Villa said Mia is proud of her art and thinks the presenmaking the rounds to local essential workers and first tation is the best part of their day. responders since July, when Villa and Mia created Mia’s Cookie Jar. “She goes right up to these people, who “She’s beginning to understand the toll these workers take when they go to work each day and perform what can be thankless jobs,” Villa said. “When we make deliveries, she is able to articulate what she’s seeing.” by Kaitlin Lembo she’s never met, and will walk them through the picture,” Villa said. “One police officer said he was going to hang the picture in his office, and she was really excited.” Mia’s great-grandfather, Doug Greth, is

Villa has had Mia as a sous chef since she was has become. He and Mia’s great-grandmother, tall enough to see the counter on a stool. When Dolores, have been following her journey since its COVID-19 shut down the Capital District, Villa, a stay- first days and are overwhelmed with the appreciation at-home mom, was looking for ways to keep her children lavished on the little girl. involved in the world. Knowing Mia’s favorite food is chocolate chip cookies, mom and daughter decided to “We have such a great family unit, and Mia shows deliver some fresh baked cookies to essential workers. how we value goodness in our family,” Greth said. “The

Villa said the first few deliveries were basic. They and is evident that Mia’s cookies are making a wonderwould drop off the fresh-baked cookies, take a few ful difference with each batch.” pictures and would be on their way. Now, Mia’s Cookie Jar is almost entirely supported by Mia’s talent. Greth added Villa is an “incredible mom” and she

“The only thing she doesn’t do is anything with the

the size is off. The consistency of each batch is impresAs she waits for her cookies to bake, Mia draws a beyond proud of the compassionate girl Mia cookies and the picture show such a tremendous effort takes ideas and advice given to her and runs with it. oven,” Villa said. “But she measures everything out. She Villa said since the beginning of Mia’s business, she’s forms them. She mixes them. She knows exactly what had quite a few donations, which helps with the costs. goes in the cookies and what ingredients she needs. I’d On Mia’s Facebook page, Villa showcases donations bet money she’d be able to identify her measuring cups from places like Hershey’s (who sent a massive gift basin a line up.” ket of Mia’s favorite ingredient, chocolate chips, among

Mia Villa, 4, of Stillwater is the tiny force behind Mia’s Cookie Jar, which provides homemade chocolate chip cookies to first responders and essential workers.

Photos from Mia’s Cookie Jar

other goodies) and Price Chopper. She’s also received random gifts, like markers, stickers and toys.

Villa said the cookies are remembered — when Mia’s brother had a recent medical scare, paramedics were called. The unit that showed up was one that Mia had recently delivered to.

“They kept telling her how much they loved the cookies,” Villa said. “Everyone loves to see her.”

Villa concluded it doesn’t look like the excursions will be slowing down anytime soon; Mia cries if there isn’t a delivery to look forward to and she picks each special outfit in anticipation.

“If she wants to stop, we will stop,” Villa said. “She doesn’t want to stop right now, and with all the good it’s teaching her, I’m happy to go as long as we can.”