Eddie’s Bakery Cafe, located on the northeast corner of Herndon and Cedar, raised nearly $4,000 from a special fundraiser dedicated to the Woosley and Camp Fires.

The California-shaped cookie had two red hearts – each representing one of the two fires – and sold at $4.95 apiece for a little over a week.

The Camp Fire has been the most destructive fire in the history of California to date, and in the United States since 1918. Many people and businesses have come together to show their support.

“We send our love up, and we send our love back down,” said Sophia Wright, manager at Eddie’s Bakery Cafe. “I know a lot of us have family and friends that have been impacted.”

In the past, Eddie’s Bakery Cafe held a successful fundraiser for Hurricane Harvey, and so the idea came instinctively.

“When we have the opportunity, we like to use it,” said Wright.

With the approval from the owners, 100 percent of the proceeds were donated to victims of the fires. Originally only set for a week, the sale was extended for a few more days due to popular demand.

This isn’t the first time Eddie’s Bakery Cafe has helped, and it certainly won’t be the last.

Right before the fundraiser for the California fires, the cafe had just ended their annual cookie drive for Valley Children’s Hospital. They sold custom George the Giraffe cookies and paper cut-outs, on which people could write their names and paste on the wall for $1.

“Anytime that we’ve realized we have the opportunity to help, we have definitely have tried,” Wright said.

And they won’t stop any time soon.

“Eddie’s is an institution. We’re coming into 80 years next year, so we are the longest-standing bakery in Fresno,” Wright said.

With so many years in business, Eddie’s Bakery Cafe has also established a strong bond with the community it serves.

“To know that we have this long-standing emotional tie to families in this town, it makes you realize how important something as small as sweets can be because it’s for a special occasion,” Wright said.

As a wedding cake decorator, Wright was able to see generations of mothers and daughters carrying the tradition of purchasing their cake in the same place: Eddie’s Bakery Cafe.

“There aren’t many places like this,” Wright said.

Besides having a strong sense of community, the company also has a strong, family-like team.

“It’s very special to be part of this team, and I think people feel that when they come in here,” Wright said.

Wright has been with the company for six years, and many of the employees average about the same time.  

“We have this idea of keeping everyone a family for as long as we can,” said Wright.

Eddie’s Bakery Cafe sold on average 60 cookies per day, but their biggest sales came from pre-order sales of 15-30 bunches of cookies.

“We try to stay involved with the Valley as much as possible, just because this is our home and it makes sense to help out your own neighbors,” Wright said.