DENVER (KDVR) — An inspiring young girl from Salida is proving that age is no barrier to making a difference.
At just 8 years old, Adi Mazza has raised more than $52,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital—an amount that more than doubles her original fundraising goal of $20,000 for the year. She’s doing it all with the help of her family, a love for cookies and pasta, and a drive to help young warriors battling cancer.
“It makes me happy that I get to help them, says Adi, “I just want to help the kids.”
Adi’s fundraising journey began at the age of 5, when she decided she wanted to help kids who were battling cancer after seeing a TV commercial for St. Jude. After brainstorming with her mom, together they came up with an idea: a community cookie drive– and since then, her fundraising efforts have only grown from there.
In between schoolwork and just being a kid, Adi has helped bake and package hundreds of batches of cookies—more than 2,000 so far— and selling them to raise funds for St. Jude, a mission near and dear to her heart.
But Adi’s mission isn’t really about cookies; it’s about the kids at St. Jude, where families never receive a bill for treatment, travel, housing, or food. To date, Adi has organized several cookie drives, spaghetti dinners, bake-sales and has taken part in St. Jude’s annual 5k.
Maddie Petre, a representative from St. Jude, says “Adi is a dreamer, a visionary—no idea is too big for Adi… She’s so creative, she’s always thinking of new things to do in the community.”
When asked how much money she hopes to raise in her lifetime, Adi responded “One million dollars!” And she is well on her way, with her goal to raise $75,000 next year, dedicating her birthday each year to fundraising for the hospital. And her efforts have not gone unnoticed. Just recently, Adi was honored with a national award by St. Jude for being one of the top youth fundraisers in the country. This recognition included a trip to Memphis, where she got the chance to visit the hospital and see firsthand the impact her fundraising was having.
Adi’s efforts have inspired not just her family but also her school and the Salida community. “She’s a reminder that you’re never too young to make an impact,” says Petre. “You can start it at any time.”
Even after winning her award, Adi says she is more determined than ever to continue her mission in helping children battling cancer, and Petre says she has become an inspiration to every person she meets on her journey. “She’s a reminder that you’re never too young to
How You Can Help
Adi’s next fundraising event is Saturday, Sept. 20 at the annual St. Jude 5K walk. If you would like to support Adi in her mission, you can follow her on Instagram and Facebook at @AdisCookieStand.
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