A Toast to Audrey's Challahs
"I was able to combine my love for baking and my desire to help my city." - Audrey Moussazadeh
The Libertas Center would like to express our sincere gratitude to Audrey Moussazadeh, a local high school student who has raised more than $4,500 to support the Libertas Center by selling challahs through Audrey's Challahs - "Challahs freshly baked with love in NYC 💖."
As the COVID-19 pandemic hit New York City in full force in the spring of 2020, Audrey and her family felt a small, unforeseen impact in the midst of the shutdown: the absence of their beloved challah. The braided bread that the family normally bought outside their home was unobtainable due to the unsafe conditions, so Audrey turned to baking her own.
Soon, Audrey realized her love for baking had the potential to make a difference.
"As the city opened up more, I continued to make my own challahs for my family and shared them with my friends and their families as well," Audrey said. "All of my friends loved what I was making and that’s when I got the idea to begin selling them. I wanted to help people during such a difficult and unprecedented time, and it hit me that selling my challahs could be the way that I could make a difference."
Before long, Audrey was baking and delivering challahs by the dozens. She sold her first Audrey's Challah in the fall of 2020 and hasn't looked back. Since then, she has sold more than 300 challahs and raised more than $4,500! Audrey is innovative and creative with her Challahs too, from baking cookie dough, Oreo, and apple cinnamon challahs to creating college-themed and holiday-centered flavors.
After some thought, she knew she wanted to focus her efforts towards a good cause, but the question arose of where she would direct her generosity.
"After getting a glimpse of the toll that the pandemic paid on healthcare workers as my mother works in the Elmhurst Emergency Department, I decided I wanted to dedicate all the funds I’d raise to Elmhurst Hospital," Audrey said.
Audrey looked into Elmhurst hospital's services, programs, and departments, and after some research, she decided to focus on the Libertas Center and our clients.
"The Libertas Center stood out to me because the program reaches individuals in need of help who often are not provided the support they need," Audrey said. "After reading more about the Libertas Center, I knew I wanted to contribute to it in any way I could."
Audrey has helped Libertas in so many ways. In addition to her financial contributions, her passion, ingenuity, commitment, and generosity have served as an inspiration to Libertas staff. We cannot thank her enough for her hard work!
Audrey continues to bake and sell challahs through Audrey's Challahs Instagram page to support the Libertas Center, and she plans to become more directly involved in our program soon.
"I plan to continue baking challahs to raise money for the Libertas Center, and additionally hope to work more closely with the members of the program in the coming year," she said.
Audrey has been a wonderful supporter, partner, and friend to Libertas, and we hope you'll join us in thanking her for all she has done!
