This 12-year-old's cookies are powering sick Philly kids' dreams

Isaac Avilucea

Split image: 12-year-old Blakelyn Kelly, wearing a black apron, uses a red stand mixer with crackers in a food processor; right a box reads "The Famous 4th Street Cookie Company" beside cookies. — Photo: Courtesy of Make-A-Wish Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley

Blakelyn Kelly could have wished for anything. She chose a s'mores cookie.

Why it matters: With help from Famous 4th Street Cookie Company, she turned a campfire classic into a fundraiser powering wishes for kids across the Philadelphia region.

The big picture: When she was in first grade, Kelly was diagnosed with von Hippel-Lindau disease — a rare genetic disorder that causes tumors to grow throughout the body.

In 2024, when it came time to make her wish, she teamed up with the bakers at Famous 4th Street Cookie Company to perfect her s'mores cookie recipe.

What's happening: The cookie is sold in-store and online every April for World Wish Month, with proceeds helping fund wishes for other children facing serious diseases.

So far, Kelly has already raised about $11,000.

Catch up quick: For owners Brian and Tina Phillips, the mission is personal. Their late son, Brandon, was a Make-A-Wish recipient.

A Lego room at Make-A-Wish Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley's new headquarters is dedicated in his memory.

🤲 Helping out: You can order a Make-A-Wish box for $39.95.

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This 12-year-old's cookies are powering sick Philly kids' dreams

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