The BIG 4-0

my birthday + the causes that matter to you

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Not So Secret Agent is an email newsletter all about the inside scoop on cookbook publishing from senior literary agent, Sally Ekus. Make sure you never miss an email. Subscribe!

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Hello Not So Secret Agent readers,

We made it! Welcome to the week where gratitude is on everyone’s mind, along with stretchy pants and the great debate about whether you should heat leftover mashed potatoes to stack on your cold next-day sandwich (you absolutely should—thank me later).

I am so thankful for your comments on my birthday post where I gushed about improv.

My birthday fundraiser for Happier Valley Comedy is still going strong. Whenever I see a donation come through with “Sally’s 40^th!”, I get extra giddy.

Thank you so much to those who have donated. My goal is for 100 friends to donate $40, and if you haven’t yet but are interested, you can do so HERE.

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Huge thanks to those of you who showed up for the AMA last week. You asked incredible questions and even got to see me rock my birthday crown.

You can watch the recording here by using passcode: U$3XaQH=

Now on to the task at hand: SPREADING GOODWILL! Last week, I asked you to comment on my newsletter and share which organizations are most important to you and why.

(Please keep in mind that this list is comprised of non-profits and organizations doing meaningful work to my readers. This is not a list of 501C-3s exclusively.)

***Not So Secret Agent Side Note: Technically we didn’t make it to a full 40 suggestions. I guess my age is getting so high that achieving that number in the comments section of a newsletter is difficult. Never fear – you didn’t think I’d let us fall short of 40, did you? – I have added more at the end. And I encourage you to add comments with other organizations that come to mind as you peruse this list!***

Please click the links, explore (I learned so much putting this list together!), and if you feel so inclined, donate. When you do, please hold space in your heart for the NSSA reader community that helped share the missions of these important organizations.  

Without further ado, and in no particular order, here are 40 organizations to highlight in honor of my 40th birthday TOMORROW!

1.      Berkshire Grown

Share the Bounty - CSA to Food Pantry and Roots Rising: Teen Agriculture and local Farmer's Markets - Berkshire, MA -- Keith Emerling

2.      Literary Agents of Change

I'm sure you can predict what charity I'm adding!! :) Literary Agents of Change was formed to help dismantle the barriers to entry into a career as a literary agent for members of historically underrepresented groups. We run a fellowship program that pays college students for a summer of studying the field of agenting, and a mentorship program designed to support and retain new literary agents. Both of these programs aim to mitigate the challenges of low-paid, unpaid, or commission only agency positions, which present unique obstacles to marginalized and multi-marginalized people trying to enter and stay in publishing. I can attest that I met the most wonderful mentor through the mentorship program!!! -- Stefanie Molina

***Not So Secret Agent Full Disclosure: Stefanie was my mentee 😊—she reps culinary btw!*** Also, make sure to check out the Equity Directory for BIPOC literary agents created by LAOC.

(LAOC was also plugged by Jennifer Weltz!)

3.      Coffee with a Cause

An org in Pasadena that provides underserved youth with transitional employment opportunities and capacity-building training, leading to successful job placement. Shout out to the founder Dan Davidson, who is not only committed to growing the organization, but also the social enterprise ecosystem and mentoring emerging social entrepreneurs like me. -- Swati Singh

4.      High Planes Food Bank

My Dad grew up in a large family that was full of food insecurity. One of the charities he was passionate about was the High Planes Food Bank in my hometown of Amarillo, TX. After he passed away I began supporting them in his honor. They serve 29 counties in a mostly rural area. They also help immigrants, mainly from Mexico and Vietnam, gain access to food stamps. -- Valerie Williams

5.      Inside Books

I'll throw in Inside Books as a fabulous charity to support. They are a non-profit that sends books to people incarcerated in Texas jails and prisons, and they are often a lifeline to people trying to grow and heal while behind bars. I worked with them many times in the past while I was teaching creative writing to inmates in the Austin County jails. Wonderful people! -- Kelsey Erin Shipman

6.      Open Sky

My favorite charity is always OneSky (formerly called Half the Sky).  It's a Berkeley based org that supports orphanages in China by training nannies to care for the kids, teach them, and love them. My daughter was lucky enough to live in an orphanage supported by OneSky, which has now become successful enough to be in Vietnam and Mongolia in addition to China. -- Amy Treadwell

7.      Massachusetts General Cancer Center

8.      The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network

9.      The Purple Project

10.  The National Pancreatic Cancer Foundation

11.  The American Cancer Society

I guess, with the new developments in our family, it would be appropriate for me to throw any of the charities dealing with Pancreatic Cancer Research or treatment into the mix. All of the above charities could be considered in this group. My personal preference, of course, would be the Massachusetts General Cancer Center. Our personal experience with the group of people there could not be more positive. Their attention to patient care has proven to be at the very top of any list you could create -- Lou Ekus

(aka my dad. ***big hug***)

12.  The American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders

APFED is a charity I support through my baking business, The Rare Treats Baking Company (I am donating 10% of Rare Treats profits at the end of the calendar year). The Rare Treats Baking Company was created as a direct result of my now 10-year-old son's diagnosis of eosinophilic esophagitis (EOE) in 2019 and the necessity of his dairy-free diet. APFED provides resources to patients managing eosinophilic disorders, as well as for their caregivers and families, and APFED helps promote and support research into the cause and cure of eosinophil-associated diseases. APFED’s vision is to support the development of a cure while improving the quality of life for those suffering with eosinophil-associated diseases. -- Stephanie Fitzpatrick

13.  Kiva

I really love Kiva which isn’t exactly a charity. It is a micro-finance platform. You can lend as little as $25 and up to thousands if you want, to entrepreneurs all over the world. I tend to support women in developing nations. The loans help them in their businesses, and then as they repay, the money comes back to you and you can re-lend. It’s amazing!  -- Danica Sommerfeldt

14.  Sidewalk Samaritan

Is an incredible 'pay it forward' organization assisting those in need without a home and on the streets of New York. Emily Borghard has an amazing backstory to the 'why' of this organization she runs (she is also a social worker) who lives and breathes her mission each day. I cannot think of a more deserving organization, particularly as we head into cold weather and the winter season in the Northeast. Thank you! --

Annette Nielsen

15.  United Negro College Fund

My favorite charity since 1963 is UNCF - (because a mind is a terrible thing to waste). -- June Jacobs

16.  Island Autism

Located on Martha's Vineyard, we met these moms over the summer. They were lovely and are doing great work for people with ASD on the island.  -- Alex Joy

17.  Veloo Foundation

A slightly out of the way charity that I would love to recommend is the Veloo Foundation, doing great work to help underprivileged children in Mongolia. I have personally volunteered and done CSR projects for them through work. Happy birthday in advance!! -- Mucka Gantumur

18.  Legal Aid Society &

19.  Planned Parenthood -- Jennifer Weltz

20.  The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society -- From Olivia, who lost her grandmother to lymphoma, and from me, Sally, a childhood Leukemia survivor.

21.  TransHealth of Northampton MA -- Pam Victor

22.  Rancho Compassion

The charity I started almost 10 years ago and provides the backbone of my life in so many ways. We've grown as an organization from just rescuing farmed animals to creating a robust youth program for kids from kindergarten on up -- after school care, summer camp, field trips -- where kids connect with animals and get their hands in the soil in our organic garden. We are open to all kids, but put extra effort into kids with special needs and from underserved communities, giving them an opportunity to connect with nature and animals that they would not have otherwise, and which they find very therapeutic. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak about it! -- Miyoko Schinner

23.  Cookies For Kids Cancer

Such an amazing organization that has changed and saved lives. -- Melanie

24.  Rizal Center of Chicago

The Filipino American community center! It's been around since 1974, and before that the Swedes gave it to us! I am committed to raising $1M by the end of 2025. -- Agyamanakapo, salamat po, thank you! -- Sarahlynn Agustin Sabado Mendoza Pablo (she/they/siya/sila/siyac)

25.  Animal Care Centers of NYC

Which is New York City's open intake animal shelter. I have volunteered here for years, and it's where I met and adopted my dog, Finn. In addition to taking thousands of animals (dogs, cats, rabbits, and even, in a few instances, animals like cows and crabs!) into their shelters each year, they provide vital support and community resources for people and pets in need. At a time where the pet overpopulation crisis is at an all-time high, they need support more than ever. <3 -- Olivia

(also plugged by my colleague Ariana Phillips!)

Sally’s Not So Secret additions that have meaning to me:

26.  Cancer Connection

27.  Safe Passage (safety and support services for those affected by domestic violence)

28.  Treehouse (intergenerational foster care community)

29.  No Kid Hungry (keep an eye out for when Dave Joachim does his Chef’s Cycle ride!)

30.  World Central Kitchen

31.  National Breast Cancer Foundation

32.  Kidney Cancer Association (in honor of Chef Kevin Gillespie)

33.  Food Bank of Western Mass (or any food bank!)

34.  Northampton Survival Center (or any survival center!)

35.  Cooley Dickinson Childbirth Center

36.  Baystate Medical Center (where I was treated for LLS in the late 80’s)

37.  Meet the Writers (children’s literacy)

38.  National Association of Children of Addiction  

39.  Proyecto Rosenda (led by chef and indigenous food warrior Neftali Duran)

40.  Intertribal Friendship House -- Big Shout out to Chef Crystal Wahpepah who happens to be my November 27^th birthday twin!

Whew, what a list!! Thank you for reading, exploring, and hopefully adding a few of these to your giving list this year.

Personally, as I move into this next year around the sun, I am doubling down on joy. Won’t you join me?

~Sally~

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In keeping with the spirit of paying it forward in this newsletter, today’s Not So Secret Agent Shout Out: The Dinner Plan podcast is a great way to hear about new cookbooks—and hear about the books those authors love most. Check out the episodes with Emily Weinstein of New York Times Cooking, Justine Doiron of Justine Snacks, and Betty Liu, author of The Chinese Way—and get full recipes and handy links on The Dinner Plan Substack.

Maggie Hoffman is a delight, and I hope you check out her work.