Making Birthday Dreams Come True
There is a nonprofit organization in Fairfax County that is making a difference for children in foster care in a most unexpected way. Cakes4Kids makes birthday cakes for children in the county who otherwise could not afford them. These are not your ordinary run-of-the-mill cakes, but the spectacular cakes of every child’s dreams. These amazing one-of-a kind creations are made by volunteers at no cost to the county or the families.
How does it work? DFS social workers learn the preferred flavors and themes for a child’s desired birthday cake as well as dates, allergies, and any other details. Once they share that information with Cakes4Kids, the organization finds a volunteer to bake, decorate, and deliver that cake.
It is up to the volunteer bakers to review cake requests and respond if they are available. Once matches are made, they get to work on the special designs. Bakers deliver cakes to the Pennino building and social workers make sure that they get to the right child on time.
Mary Campbell is the Fairfax ambassador for Cakes4Kids. She discovered the California-based organization online and brought it to Virginia. This started out as a small group of her friends and now through networking efforts, it has grown to more than 60 bakers who provide cakes to a variety of organizations serving children including DFS, and various shelters and community centers throughout the county.
Volunteer bakers can be as young as 16 if they also have a parent volunteer. Bakers must have better than average baking and decorating skills. Looking at some of the designs over the last two years, many of these bakers could go pro!
The bakers’ time and commitment is greatly appreciated by Cakes4Kids, DFS staff and children and families. Volunteers don’t have to imagine the joy that their delicious desserts bring to children and families in foster care, as they often receive a thank note from the delighted families and children. Here are a few of those notes:
She loved the cake!! She was very excited for the cake. She had a rough month, and this really brightened up her week. She shared it with her foster family and with friends at school the next day. The cake was so cute too! It was the perfect fit for her. Thank you for the cake!
“In the past birthday cakes were not always an option as we were homeless, could not afford a cake or had [no] place to bake one. When I do get a cake, I make sure to eat it slowly and savor every bite so that the memory will stay with me. This birthday cake definitely will. Thank you again for all that you do.”
“My heart cannot express how deeply touched I am that someone who does not know me or my grandchild was willing to go out of their way to make his birthday so special. To you, it may have been a set of cupcakes that took a couple of hours to bake and decorate, but to my grandson and I, this made him feel special and loved.”
This article posting is part of the Foster Family News monthly newsletter designed to keep foster parents informed about all the new and notable happenings in Fairfax County.
Learn about what the Foster Care & Adoption program has planned for foster families - stay on top of trends, participate in trainings and learn about policy changes.