Salute: Meet Topeka’s Hope Dealer, Rachel Holthaus

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Crumbl Cookies opened it’s doors in May earlier this year. Part of the Cumble brand is Crumble Cares. How can Crumble be generous with it’s famous cookies?

“I met our neighbor here at Buckle and she said you need to contact Rachel,” said Chante Morgan, manager at Crumbl Cookies in Topeka.

A nurse, Rachel Holthaus is known as the Hope Dealer and picks up the remaining cookies 6 days a week.

“This is the Hope Mobile,” said Rachel. “She’s a 2010 Camry. She’s got no clear coat on the hood, but she’s got a lot of heart.”

The Hope Dealer in the Hope Mobile takes the cookies to different organizations that help people in need.

“These are folks that come in with the clothes on their backs,” said Aimee Copp-Hasty, Director of Development at Valeo in Topeka. “Sometimes they come in without shoes on their feet, so to have something from someone, you know, a small gesture means a lot to them.”

When 13 News joined Rachel on her deliveries, she delivered bins of cookies to Valeo Crisis Center, Doorstep and the Topeka Rescue Mission. Rachel knows the importance of that hope from a time when she hit rock bottom.

“I lost my grandmother, just a person in my life,” said Rachel. “She was just a person. People go through that kind of stuff everyday, but I just didn’t regulate it right. I took it very hard.”

Rachel turned to sleeping pills to deal with the death of her grandmother. One day while driving, she went off road and into a chain link fence. The top rail broke through the windshield and into the right side of her face and eventually out the back window.

“They called the coroner, they flipped a coin, basically, because they’re wasn’t much hope that I was gonna make it,” said Rachel.

38 operations and over a year of recovery later, Rachel is doing what she can to brighten the days of strangers.

“Once you’ve gone through something pretty serious like I did, it changes the lens on everything,” said Rachel. “I’m just happy and grateful for each day that I have here and I want to share that with people and do good with it and encourage anybody that if they’re going through something tough, it can always get better.”

Nominations are made through Rachel’s Facebook page allowing her to deliver hope one cookie at a time. Abbie Jones is the Case Manager at TRM and was nominated by a co-worker.

“I’m very surprised, but this is awesome,” said Jones after receiving the bin of cookies. “Thanks to whoever nominated me and thanks to everyone who supports the Topeka Rescue Mission. We really couldn’t do this without you.”

This giving season, challenge yourself to do something generous for a complete stranger. Chances are you’ll both feel great!

“To be able to come here and find comfort in the sweetness of a cookie, it seems like a simple thing, but a simple act of kindness sometimes really resonates the most,” said Copp-Hasty.

“That’s what I talk about is, is doing things to intentionally be happy. Helping other people takes away from my own sadness and it is very healing.” said Rachel.

You can donate to Rachel’s cause through her website where you can also buy Hope Dealer merchandise. As mentioned, Rachel is a nurse, but injuries from the accident make her disabled.

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