OVERLAND PARK, Kan — It's no secret that Donna Kelce's chocolate chip cookie recipe has become iconic. The proud NFL mom has been treating her sons and their teammates for years. But now, she has allowed Annie's Barn in Overland Park to print her family's recipe for a good cause.
“It's really hard to even put in words what's going on right now," said Annie Stowe, owner of Annie's Barn.
Stowe founded Annie's Barn in 2012 and for over a decade, she has been selling her unique designs. Being from Kansas City, she gets her inspiration from the city, from teams like the Chiefs and because of the team's success, sales have been booming.
“It's a very good time to be selling things that are red in the Kansas City area, and the Kansas City Chiefs have been really good for business," Stowe said. "I've been on a roll since that time and now this year has been even better.”
Stowe has always had a heart for her city. Using her business to give back to her community she is helping pay for student lunch debts for students in local schools.
“I think these parents are in a rough place. I mean, groceries are expensive," Stowe said. "So we like to go in and fill that gap for the kids that maybe aren't on free lunch, but also don't really have the funds to make it. We go in, we put the money on those lunch accounts."
Stowe's initiative has taken off thanks to Donna Kelce.
“Well back in October I got a random email through my email from Donna Kelce and I thought it was a joke at first because like who, why would Donna Kelce be emailing me," Stowe said. "I just wrote back. She was asking about a specific mug that she wanted to give for Christmas and she wanted to order 20 of them to give to friends and family. It's a mug that says 'It's Mama Kelce's world and we're all just living in it.' So we set up to send that to her, she Venmo'd me the money and added in a tip.”
That interaction led to Stowe's idea to reach back out to Kelce.
"I have this idea," Stowe said. "This year I could put your cookie recipe on a mug, we could sell it, and basically get $5 from every single mug to go directly back to the schools. Would you be in on that? And an email came right back from her, 'Yes let's do it.'”
Since then, the mug has become a hit at Annie's Barn.
“We don't know where this is going to end up, but I think it's really cool to be able to do that. It's a passion project for me, not a profit project. And I make every single one of those mugs. So I'm going to be making mugs for a long time, but we're going to get them out," Stowe said.
Because of the attention the mug has received over the past few months, many customers — like Jane Snyder — have made it a mission to stop by and support thanks to its great cause.
“This is so fabulous to help support kids that cannot afford school lunches. So I'm buying them both and sending them out. I'm getting one for my brother and his significant other, my children and their significant others. We just can't get enough. And the recipe! You can make cookies," Snyder said.
With each sip from the special edition coffee mug, people not only enjoy a taste of victory, but also contribute to a brighter future for KC-area students facing lunch debt challenges.
If you would like to support Stowe's cause, you can get a Donna Kelce coffee mug on the shop's website.
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