SAUGUS — Soc’s Ice Cream held a fundraising event for Comfort Cuddles by Erin, a nonprofit that helps provide customized blankets for people with different illnesses.
“It was steady the whole day,” employee Kate Hubbard said. “It was a good showing for the fundraiser.”
Soc’s, which is co-owned by husband and wife Paul and Sharon Cacciola, frequently hosts fundraisers with local establishments and businesses.
“We have a fundraiser almost every day,” employee Emma Fulchini said.
Sharon Cacciola said that the ice-cream shop works alongside Malden Catholic every May for the Make A Wish Foundation. She said it also has a bookmark program with the Saugus Public Library, through which children can redeem their bookmarks after completing a book for a free ice cream.
Sharon Cacciola said that when a customer mentioned they were there for the fundraiser, 20% of their order went to it.
Fulchini said that Erin Murray, the founder of Comfort Cuddles by Erin, came to Soc’s to help set up the fundraising event with balloons and fliers.
“People would come in and say ‘I’m here for Comfort Cuddles,’” Fulchini said.
Murray said that she started Comfort Cuddles when she was 18 years old in August 2019, when she started donating blankets to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Boston Children’s Hospital.
“I really loved making them and have always loved giving back,” Murray said.
Eventually, Murray began receiving requests on social media for her fleece-tie blankets, and she decided to register Comfort Cuddles as a 501(c)(3) organization.
Murray said that to date, she has sent out more than 850 blankets all over the world, including to countries such as Switzerland, Pakistan, and Canada.
“Our mission is to bring smiles and comfort to children and adults battling chronic and terminal illnesses,” Murray said.
Murray said that Soc’s was great to work with, and she hopes to hold another fundraising event with the shop in the future.
Donations can be made via Venmo to the username @comfortcuddleserin, or via PayPal to the address comfortcuddlesbyerin@gmail.com.
