Chocolate chip cookies, cakes and a variety of homemade desserts filled tables in the courtyard during lunch for the Students for Shelter bake sale organized by co-founders Sophie Herbert (‘28) and Isa Kromwyk (‘29).
Students for Shelter, a student-led club focused on addressing homelessness in Los Angeles, hosted a fundraiser in the courtyard April 27, raising $843. Herbert and Kromwyk ran the event, which Herbert said maintained a consistent flow of students throughout the lunch period as attendees stopped by between classes.
“I think the turnout was great,” Herbert said. “There wasn’t one barren moment where we were waiting for people to come. It was always filled with people.”
Beyond selling baked goods, the fundraiser aimed to support efforts addressing homelessness in Los Angeles. Herbert said the idea for the club developed from her volunteer experiences and a lack of student initiatives specifically focused on the issue.
“I volunteer at the Salvation Army in Hollywood with an organization called Hollywood Food Coalition,” Herbert said. “It is really fulfilling, and I noticed that there were no clubs specifically focused on the unhoused population issue in Los Angeles at Archer.”
The bake sale featured a variety of student-made goods, including cakes, cookies and other treats. Among them were Herbert’s chocolate chip cookies, which Sophomore Jackie Mayne said have become a recognizable item at school events. Mayne said she was familiar with the cookies before the fundraiser and associated them with previous bake sales that Herbert had contributed to. She said the famous cookies at the event influenced her decision to stop by and make a purchase.
“They’re really popular,” Mayne said. “I’ve seen them at other bake sales, and people always go for them.”
Mayne also said Herbert’s leadership was evident in how the event was carried out. She said that Herbert remained present throughout the lunch period and helped manage the bake sale from setup to closing. Herbert’s involvement led to the overall structure of the fundraiser and the way it ran during the lunch period, she said.
“She’s a really great leader. She’s really dedicated to it and wants it to be impactful and something she can be proud of,” Mayne said. “She was there the whole lunch period and really wanted it to be a success and make a difference.”
According to Herbert, the event extended beyond regular club members and attracted a broader group of students. Sophomore Claire DesRosiers said she visited later in the lunch period and was still able to choose from a range of items.
“It seemed very organized,” DesRosiers said. “There was still a decent amount of stuff to pick from when I came.”
DesRosiers said that fundraisers like bake sales can be an effective way for student clubs to support larger causes. Looking ahead, Herbert said she hopes to expand the club’s efforts beyond fundraising by organizing more opportunities for members.
“We would like to do some sort of other event with everyone,” Herbert said. “Hopefully something hands-on with the club where everyone can be involved to make our club stronger.”
