‘TIS THE SEASON—Mothers from Oak Park, Agoura Hills and other nearby neighborhoods baked up a storm to brighten the lives of foster children living in residential homes. Front row, from left: Sandy Phillips, who cooked up the idea with Bev Futterman, with Lena Tucker, Nina Larkins, Tanya Tong, Cherie Nelson and Donna Lamm. Back row: Futterman, Susan Kane, Cheryl Green, Brenda Pestano, Kim Garfinkel and Sandy Pedefluous. Left, helpers Elisha and Alina Tong have fun helping with baking and packaging the cookies. Baking cookies, cakes and other homemade goodies during the holidays has always been a sure-fire way for Oak Park residents Sandy Phillips and Bev Futterman to show their love to families and friends.

But what about children in foster care? Phillips said she and Futterman discussed the idea over lunch one day. They knew many charitable groups were already donating clothes, toys and gifts to children during the holidays—but what about homey desserts?

“ Nobody really bakes for them,” Phillips said. “People love to bake. It’s easy to do, it doesn’t cost a lot of money and it would be a nice thing to do.”

Phillips contacted three foster care facilities—Casa Pacifica in Ventura, Five Acres in Alta Dena and Maryvale in Rosemead— to determine whether children would enjoy receiving their own plate of homemade holiday desserts.

“Each one was really excited about it,” Phillips said.

The idea, though simple and endearing, was novel. The children had never received dessert packages before.

The ladies figured that nothing says “‘tis the season” as well as a plate of homemade treats, especially if they could bake enough goodies for each child to have his or her own, special package.

After sending out dozens of emails, Phillips and Futterman received responses from women throughout the area who sent plates full of cookies, cakes, brownies and other tasty desserts destined for children who need a little extra tender loving care during the holidays.

To add to the fun, the women packed the goodies in Chinese takeout boxes, fastened with colorful ribbons and a sticker that read, “Homemade with love . . . Happy Holidays.”

“Each box was pretty full of cookies,” Phillips said.

At first she assumed that each child would receive five or six cookies, but the response from volunteer bakers was so overwhelming, there were enough treats to fill each box to the brim.

The first round of cookies was packaged on Dec. 12 and delivered to Penny Lane Foster Family Agency. On Tues. Dec. 13, the baking/packaging party resumed and more boxes were filled with treats for delivery to Five Acres.

“Believe me, it was a party,” Phillips said of the festivities at her house. “It was really fun. I think people were having fun just being part of the (giving).”

This week, another hundred boxes will be delivered to Casa Pacifica.

Phillips and Futterman personally distributed the goodies at the Penny Lane facility.

“We got to meet the kids,” Phillips said. “They were having a dinner. Each came up one by one and got their box of cookies. They were really appreciative. You could tell that they were really happy.”