Inside Worthy Cause: Melbourne’s Sweetest Social Enterprise
Meet Melbourne’s Head of Cookies, Ricky Cohen.
He’s probably got the best job title in Melbourne — Head of Cookies.
Meet Ricky Cohen.
The mastermind behind the not-for-profit Worthy Cause, and quite literally the maker of my favourite cookies in the world. Big call, I know. But these really are that good. I am bias to the chunky choc chip. Cookie perfection. Sorry Tom, I already ate them.
Also, quick side note - Ricky may have created the best business card I’ve ever seen. I’ll get to that later.
As I sit here writing this with a cup of tea in one hand (yes, I’ve hit that stage of life when the arvo treat needs tea), and a cookie in the other, let me tell you why Worthy Cause is more than just a ridiculously good chunky chocolate chip cookie (with options of Nutella filled too).
Worthy Cause is a social enterprise with a simple but powerful mission. They provide employment and training to young people who have faced serious hardship, disadvantage or barriers to employment, whether that be mental health struggles, tough home lives or simply not being given a chance elsewhere.
By teaching baking skills, running training programs, and offering paid employment, Worthy Cause helps participants gain confidence, real-world skills and a proper shot at building their futures. Every cookie you buy directly funds this work. It is, quite literally, cookies for a cause.
Right now, they are gearing up for their big annual Bake-a-thon fundraiser, happening this June in Richmond. The goal? Raise $50,000 to fund 1,670 hours of paid employment training for at least 15 participants. That is 15 young people whose lives could change forever, one cookie at a time. Easy to get around right?
The Bake-a-thon runs across the weekend of June 14 and 15, from 9am to 9pm, at CoBake Space (239 Swan Street, Richmond). You can come down, grab some insanely good cookies (freshly baked on site), shop a few extra treats because you deserve it, and know you are genuinely making a difference while you do it.
If you cannot make it down, you can still support by donating or pre-ordering cookies online here: https://worthy-cause.grassrootz.com/bake-a-thon-2025
And finally... the business card? It’s edible. Yes, an actual cookie business card. Genius. So if you see Ricky around, make sure to ask for a business card, its old school meeting new world. Ricky is probably one of the only other people (besides myself) my age still handing out business cards, here for it.
If you want to know more, I asked Ricky a few questions:
Why cookies? Of all the things you could have baked, what drew you to cookies for Worthy Cause?
Cookies are universally loved, easy to share and simple to make in large batches. They carry a sense of nostalgia and comfort. At Worthy Cause, cookies became our symbol for connection. They are approachable for both our participants and our customers, making them the perfect treat to drive our mission of inclusion and support. For people who are new to employment, cookies are an approachable first step. We’re mixing 6 high quality local ingredients, balling, baking and packaging. Within the first week of our program, participants are making cookies we can sell. It challenges their perception of themselves and what they can achieve. And yes they’re also super delicious!
Do you have a personal favourite flavour, or are they all your children and you refuse to choose?
That’s like asking me if I have a favourite child. The answer is yes but you’re supposed to say you don’t have one! We’ve run a few specials and limited time offers which have all had a special meaning. We invite participants to create and sell their own flavour of cookie inspired by their life story. We’ve had Wattleseed and Coconut, Mint Choc and Lemon Meringue but I’d have to say my favourite is our choc chip. It’s the starting point of this journey I’m on and the reason all of this can exist. It took me 42 iterations to perfect that cookie and I’m very proud of what it represents.
If you had to describe Worthy Cause in one sentence to someone who has never heard of it, what would you say?
We’re a charity that changes lives of people who deserve more and we do it through cookies!
What is the weirdest, funniest or most unexpected thing that’s happened while running the Bake-a-thon?
Last time round, we were prepping in our kitchen and someone accidentally burnt a big batch of caramel for weeks after that there was a lingering smell of smokey cookies. For a few minutes it was pure chaos, but everyone came together, laughed and kept baking. It became an inside joke about adding smoke as a new flavour. Second to that would be the surprising call I got from a random number a few days after the last bake-a-thon, it was a friend of a friend who saw what we were doing and loved the impact we create. They pledged a donation of $10,000 over the phone. I was absolutely gobsmacked and speechless. I wasn’t sure how to express how I felt but I’m still eternally grateful for that call. Only issue is it’s ruined my life because I now have a habit of always answering unknown numbers, you never know who’s calling!
You talk about creating employment for young people facing hardship. What kind of transformation do you see in the participants who go through your program?
We see unreal change in our participants. These are people who have come from the toughest and most unfortunate backgrounds imaginable. They’ve had the confidence and hope for a better life beaten out of them from years of rejection and hardship. Over time they learn to trust themselves, build confidence and the critical skills necessary to transition into other employment. From someone who couldn’t look a customer in the eye to someone who can joke and laugh and has hope for a better future, it’s incredible to see and warms my heart every time.
What does hitting this year’s $50,000 Bake-a-thon target mean in real terms for the young people involved?
Reaching the $50,000 target means we can offer more participants our incredible program. That goal would be enough to provide 15 participants with one day a week of employment as well as our wrap-around support services like counselling, financial literacy training and skills development sessions.
For people who can't attend in person, how can they still support Worthy Cause?
People can order our cookies online or make a donation through our website! All of those sales and donations will be counted towards our fundraising goal! Every bit of support, no matter the size, helps us reach more people in need.
Where do you hope to take Worthy Cause in the next 3 to 5 years?
I know how important our program is and how much of a difference we can make to our participants. So I am determined to help this charity grow and reach even more people in need. I hope to grow Worthy Cause into a national movement, opening more cafes and kitchens, creating hundreds of jobs and building greater awareness around mental health and social enterprise. The aim is to see our impact reach across Australia.
The Bake-a-thon runs across the weekend of June 14 and 15, from 9am to 9pm, at CoBake Space (239 Swan Street, Richmond). You can come down, grab some insanely good cookies (freshly baked on site), shop a few extra treats because you deserve it, and know you are genuinely making a difference while you do it.
If you cannot make it down, you can still support by donating or pre-ordering cookies online here: https://worthy-cause.grassrootz.com/bake-a-thon-2025