Brewster boy who raises money for housing insecurity named 2025 Philanthropist of the Year
Adrian Oomer, a fifth grader from Brewster, Massachusetts who is raising money and awareness to address housing insecurity, has been named the 2025 Philanthropist of the Year.
Adrian didn't even know what the word philanthropist meant when his mother Melissa received a phone call in July informing the family that he had been nominated. Melissa was stunned.
Philanthropy Partners of the Cape and Islands celebrates charitable giving. Adrian began giving to Homeless Prevention Council in 2022, when he was in second grade, after learning that there were people on Cape Cod whose circumstances put them in danger of losing their homes. It bothered him. He started by donating his birthday and Christmas money to HPC. He wanted to do even more. Through his love of cooking, he found a way to raise money and awareness about housing insecurity and build a clientele of happy customers.
Pop-up restaurant in parents' kitchen
Over holidays and summer break, Adrian runs a pop-up restaurant out of his parents' Brewster kitchen. He calls it Loco Dos (a nod to Loco, his favorite Boston restaurant) and creates a weekly menu online. Customers order in advance. Adrian does all the cooking. In the summer of 2025, he donated more than $1000 and made more than 100 dishes. Meatballs are one of his specialties. As one of WBZ's Change Makers in 2024, Adrian explained that it makes him feel good and proud to support HPC through cooking.
Over the years, Adrian has also cooked for HPC staff events. CEO Hadley Luddy describes him as a friend to the organization and a deeply thoughtful contributor. Luddy was, in fact, the person who nominated for the PPCI honor.
In mid-November, hundreds of people joined PPCI's Philanthropy Day. Staff members of non-profits, board members, and volunteers gathered in Hyannis for networking, sharing best practices, and celebrating the honorees. Adrian received the Philanthropist of the Year award. Speaking to the crowd, he thanked his parents and his grandmothers. His paternal grandmother taught him to cook Indian food from recipes she knows by heart. His maternal grandmother, who attended the awards ceremony, taught him to bake. Asked whether he is now teaching them, he shook his head and said simply, "Not yet."
Adrian is currently offering holiday treats. Granola, biscotti, brownies, and Cape Cod wedding cookies are $10/order. He is taking orders through December 14. But don't wait. His mom says the junior chef's creations are almost sold out.