HUDSONVILLE, Mich. — Every Monday morning, before the first bell rings at Alward Elementary, something sweet fills the air — and it’s not just the smell of cookies. It’s the feeling of joy, comfort, and community that one Hudsonville mom has been baking up, one batch at a time.
For Susanne Minervino, what started as a few leftover cookies quickly became a weekly tradition that’s now part of the school’s heartbeat.
“That weekend, I made a few batches of cookies and sent them in the next week… and it just kind of snowballed from there,” Minervino said
Her journey began in 2023, when she started baking treats for the staff at her children’s school. But behind every cookie and cupcake is a story of healing — one that started after tragedy.
In 2019, Susanne’s daughter Sophia was in a car accident that left her with a traumatic brain injury. Baking became a source of therapy for Susanne.
“I realized that after a couple months of baking, I wasn’t crying every day anymore,” she said. “It helped me feel like a person again.”
Every Sunday, Susanne spends hours in her kitchen — planning, mixing, and decorating — all to bring a little joy to Alward Elementary every Monday.
Her husband, Matt Minervino, is the school’s head custodian and helps make sure the treats are ready to go before staff arrives.
“So many people on the staff have the Mondays,” Matt said. “They’ll come in and be sad or in a rush. And they’ll say, ‘Oh my gosh, you have treats!’ It’s something that sets their mind at ease.”
For teachers and staff, those Monday mornings have turned into something special. Principal Heidi Mucha says the tradition has strengthened the school’s sense of community.
“Every Monday we get to come in, and there’s something special for us,” Mucha said. “You can hear it from the hallway — they’re laughing, they’re talking, they’re enjoying the treats. It’s just a way that we can build community.”
Second-grade teacher Toby Custer says it’s about more than desserts — it’s about the people behind them.
“It’s amazing to have such a cool atmosphere and community here,” he said. “The treats are one part of it, but their family has been such a blessing to us too.”
For Susanne, it’s simple. Her baking may fill the teachers’ lounge with sweetness, but it’s the healing and hope it brings that mean the most.
“It just means a lot that maybe I’m sweetening someone else’s day — because it helps me so much,” she said. “The school means a lot to us. I went here K through six, Matt’s worked here for a long time, and all of our kids have gone here too. It’s always meant a lot to me.”
