We got the following comment on our tip post a few days ago but didn’t dig into the story:
1/30/2007 12:27 PM
Anonymous: Can you look into the N. Capitol Hill “Mommie Mafia?” I heard one boasting that because a merchant would not donate to the Stevens Elementary auction, she was going to stop her weekly muffin order and encourage all the other Mommies to do the same.
While all may be fair in kids and capitalism, the exchange led me to think “Do we really want to put a merchant under because they declined the opportunity to donate to your pet cause?” I wonder how many times a day our friendly 15/19th street service providers get hit up? And do we really expect them to “support” the community wth more than just great products/services?
Now the Mommie Mafia controversy has flared up and citizens like pffft are in a panic about their beloved pudgie-fudgies:
2/02/2007 12:15 AM
Anonymous: Let’s save the North Hill Bakery from the N. Capitol Hill Mommie Mafia, Buy a loaf of bread or mufins in support. We need them to stay on Capitol Hill.
2/02/2007 9:15 AM
pffft: “Let’s save the North Hill Bakery from the N. Capitol Hill Mommie Mafia”
What does this mean? Is the Bakery going away? Somebody explain this. I would like to ensure a constant supply of pudgy-fudgies and whole wheat cinnamon rolls.
Damn our procrastination! Look at the worry we have caused. Pffft, here is what we can tell.
- There are lots of moms and dads on Capitol Hill
- One of them allegedly had some sort of exchange with the bakery regarding a donation request
- That person is now allegedly telling friends to get their baked goodness elsewhere
- Anonymous is ratting this person out
This is what we have learned makes us think:
- Anonymous loves North Hill Bakery
- pffft loves North Hill Bakery
- We love North Hill Bakery
- North Hill Bakery can live without a few muffin orders and does all sorts of good stuff in the neighborhood so this incident should
- Stevens seems like a lovely little school and we like the birdhouses so you should feel fine bidding in whatever auction this is, regardless
–j/k
Who has more info on the auction? I would like to go! I went to their website and saw info on their fund drive and donated some money just now. I poo poo the idea
of the mommy mafia though of course….
The Mommie Mafia? They can’t be any worse then the socialist mafia that has been hassling Central Coop’s employees for years.
Anon #1, the only info about the auction I could find was some stuff about last year’s birdhouse auction. It was in March 06 so maybe an annual event?
#2, oh jeez. A Co-op? Shouldn’t they go after Wells Fargo or something?
That Coop’s management always has issues, but these guys go after their co-workers, while maintaining a public high moral ground.
North Hill Bakery donates to St Annes foodbank, Jubilee House, Graham Hill Elementary School (my son goes there), O’Dea High School, NARAL, (we do Chocolate for Choice every winter), as well as a few others. We are asked to donate approxiamately 3 times a week during the school year. At any time we are happy to sell a cake to a parent who is willing to pay for it for their auction with a 15% discount. Since we have been told on a number of occasions that our cake has brought in as much as $600.00 I think the $25.00 the individual spent to buy it was minimal. i have asked many times in my PTA community when parents blithly suggest asking a small business to donate why they feel this is right. Did anybody from Stevens hit up Key Bank for a stack of money to auction off at their auction? My other question, Is anybody tired of dessert auctions? How about an hors d’ouvre auction? A martini auction? An art auction? (novel idea that one). Thanks for your business, we love the neighborhood. My partner Tracey lives in the neighborhood. We set out to try to maintain a neighborhood bakery in a space that has been one since our grandmothers were young (coming up on 80 yrs) with your patronage we hope to stay a few more!
Right on NHB!
I’d bid in a martini auction for sure.
Thanks NHB. Please, if you have an auction request (or any other fundraising project) ask but understand that there are competing demands. This time the answer might be no, another time yes. This entitlement gig (it’s in the neighborhood! It’s about the CHILDREN!) makes you look petty (especially when the revenge instinct kicks in.) Let’s all play nice now.
First, let me add that we love the NHB. My kids love to walk there after school, I’ve headed off to work happier on many a morning b/c I’ve stopped on the way to grab a muffin. I was even so pleased with four cakes I tried at a recent birthday party that I posted a plug for the bakery on Chowhound. It’s great to have such a fabulous neighborhood business.
I’m also a Stevens parent. I’ve approached neighborhood businesses about supporting Stevens b/c it makes sense that a neighborhood business might see a value in supporting a worthy neighborhood cause. (Although some might perceive Stevens as a wealthy public school, that’s only part of the story. Abour 40% of the families qualify for free or reduced lunch under federal poverty guidelines; a third of each incoming kindergarten class are English-as-second-language learners. We do a lot of fundraising to make it a great school despite these challenges and woefully inadequate state, local, and federal funding.) I’m also a shareholder in a business and when we give to something charitable it’s b/c a member of our firm is involved, a valued client is asking, or b/c we think there will be a good will or exposure value from the investment. So it doesn’t seem odd to me that someone fundraising in the neighborhood would approach a business. But as a Stevens parent, I also appreciate that each business has competing demands, capacities, and values. If someone decides not to contribute, then I appreciate the few minutes taken to consider the inquiry and harbor no ill will. I’m sorry that someone from the Stevens community apparently communicated otherwise.
See you soon for a morning glory muffin.
Thanks, anon, for a fair take on the other side of the equation.
Yay! everybody is still friends!
I think it is perfectly reasonable to expect a neighborhood business, large or small, to contribute to a local school whose parents, teachers, and students contribute to the success of that business. It is not only reasonable, it is good business. North Hill bakery chose not to donate. That is their choice. Other bakeries chose to donate. I will take my business to the other bakeries, not because I want to put North Hill out of business, but because I want to reward those businesses that enthusiastically support the neighborhood’s only ethnically, culturally and financially diverse public elementary school.
The Steven’s auction is held once every other year, wih a drastically scaled down version held in the off years (this year’s event focuses on artist created bird houses and is a smaller event). It is a wonderful, inclusive, community event. In order to ensure that all parents and community members can attend, we charge no admission (show me another school auction that does that). To ensure that everyone can walk away with something special we offer many small items for bid, some at $5 or less. It is not the kind of event where $25 cakes auction for $500. Last year the event was held at the Miller Park Community Center. This year will take place at the Greek church on Boren. It takes place amid the schools Centennial celebration, and showcases Steven’s role in delivering “One Hundred Years of Excellence in Public Schools.” Everyone is welcome.
Many area merchants were happy to contribute to the auction last year and I am grateful for their support. North Hill stood out for its lack of support and also for the manner in which the answer was delivered. To address a criticism from the North Hill writer, Wells Fargo was not asked to donate cash for auction last year but WA Mutual contributed generously as an event sponsor.
Yikes! There really is a “Mommie Mafia.” (Just kidding – see point 4 of J’s blogger discourse guidelines.)
Steven’s elementary parent: get a life. Your school is not more worthy then many other causes in our neighborhood. I don’t have much money but I’m going to buy an extra loaf of bread from NHB just to counter act your bad karma.
Thanks NHB for the support you give the community – especially the NARAL auction, I admire that you don’t allow yourself to be bullied by fat, obnoxious,bullies. Stay the course.
You seem to think that not donating to Stevens Elementary
means people and the bakery are against you and your children. You don’t say that explicitly, but I’m reading between the lines. Get some perspective! Will you be donating to Stevens in 10 years? Hell no–you’ll be gangbusters over some middle school or basketball fund!