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It Started With a Cake Kit
Every sweet story has a beginning, and Wish Upon a Cake certainly has an unusual one! What started as a simple idea eventually led to three disappointing grocery store cakes, a missing message, and one woman's unforgettable act of kindness.
My original idea was to put together kits with cake mix, Sprite, and a few supplies so families could make a birthday cake at home.
Well, let's just say that idea didn't last very long. We ended up drinking the Sprite and baking cupcakes instead! LOL!
Then I thought, why not just make the birthday cakes myself?
Now, I'll be the first to admit, I'm no professional baker. I don't even bake from scratch! But I had an idea, and I was determined to make it work.
The Launch That Never Happened
As the idea grew, I decided to organize an official launch for Wish Upon a Cake right here in Lake Wales, Florida.
A wonderful member of our Highways of Hope Florida Facebook group generously offered the use of her coffee shop. I started purchasing supplies, making plans, and posting in local community groups, hoping to find families who needed birthday cakes.
There was just one little problem.
Nobody was signing up for a cake!
Despite all the planning, I reluctantly had to cancel the launch.
Around that same time, a woman messaged me and asked if she could bake and donate a birthday cake.
And do you know what I told her?
"Thank you so much, but we'll be using store bakeries."
Yes, you read that correctly. I actually turned down a volunteer baker! Looking back now, I could kick myself! LOL!
At the time, my plan was to purchase cakes from grocery store bakeries. I was fortunate enough to receive donations from a couple of local grocery stores and a few monetary donations through PayPal. I also ended up paying for several cakes out of my own pocket.
And believe it or not, in those early days, I was actually asking people if they knew of any children who needed a birthday cake!
The Three Cakes That Changed Everything
Then came the three birthday cakes that would completely change the direction of Wish Upon a Cake. At the time, I had no idea just how important those three cakes would become.
I ordered three birthday cakes from a local grocery store bakery. I brought in an inspiration picture and made it clear that I wasn't expecting the cakes to look exactly like the photos.
I even told the decorator, "I know they won't look exactly like the picture. Just do your best."
Two of the families later sent me pictures of their cakes.
And let me tell you, I WAS STEAMING MAD! 😂
The cakes looked nothing like what we had discussed. Nobody had called to ask questions or clarify anything.
So, off to the grocery store I went!
I spoke with the assistant manager and the bakery manager, and believe me, they heard exactly how unhappy I was! Even they seemed surprised when they compared the inspiration pictures to what I had received.
I ended up receiving refunds for two of the cakes. Thankfully, the third one was okay.
I attempted to decorate a cake myself, but quickly realized I didn't have enough supplies to finish. Clearly, I needed another soluction.
When I got home, I sat there wondering what on earth I was going to do. I couldn't keep paying out of pocket, and I wanted every child to receive something special.
The Message I Couldn't Find
And then it hit me.
I remembered that woman who had offered to bake and donate a cake!
The very same woman I had politely turned away.
There was just one problem.
I COULDN'T FIND HER MESSAGE!
I searched for it, hoping to get back in touch with her, but it was nowhere to be found.
And I couldn't stop thinking about her offer.
What if, instead of purchasing cakes, I could bring together talented home bakers who loved decorating and wanted to make a difference?
What if I could find five volunteer bakers? Or ten? Maybe even fifty? At the time, those numbers seemed almost impossible!
What if this little idea, born right here in Lake Wales, could eventually help children all across Florida?
And that was the turning point for Wish Upon a Cake.
What began with a few cake kits, a cancelled launch, and three grocery store cakes slowly grew into something I never could have imagined.
A statewide network of volunteer bakers who generously donate their time, talent, ingredients, and creativity to make birthdays special for children who might otherwise go without a cake.
To the Woman Who Started It All
There is someone I often think about, even today.
The woman who sent me that message offering to bake and donate a birthday cake.
I never found her original message, and for the longest time, I had no idea who she was.
She probably didn't realize it, but her simple offer of kindness helped inspire something much bigger than one birthday cake.
As Wish Upon a Cake grew into a statewide network of nearly 400 volunteer bakers, I often wondered whether I would ever get the chance to thank her. She had no way of knowing that her small act of kindness would inspire something so much bigger.
I wish I could find her. I wish I could tell her what that one message meant to me and how it helped change Wish Upon a Cake's direction.
If you're out there, I hope this story somehow finds its way to you.
I want you to know that I never forgot your kindness, even though I lost your message.
And if you're reading this, please reach out. I would love nothing more than to finally say two simple words that I never got the chance to say properly.
Thank you. From the bottom of my heart. ❤️
You may have offered just one cake, but you helped inspire something that has become so much more.
And Look How Far We've Come
To all of our wonderful volunteer bakers, I want you to know something.
YOU are the heart of Wish Upon a Cake.
Every cake you bake, every hour you spend decorating, and every dollar you spend on ingredients comes from your own generosity.
Many of you will never see the child's face when they receive their cake, but please know that what you do matters more than you may ever realize.
I started this journey with no idea where it would lead. There have been frustrations, disappointments, plenty of lessons learned, and more than a few moments when I wondered what on earth I was doing! LOL!
But I wouldn't trade this journey for anything.
And the funny thing is, if those three grocery store cakes had turned out beautifully, Wish Upon a Cake might never have become what it is today.
Sometimes the things that don't work out are the very things that lead us to where we're supposed to be.
Who would have thought that a few boxes of cake mix, some Sprite, a cancelled event, and one woman's simple offer of kindness would lead to nearly 400 volunteer bakers across Florida?
I certainly didn't.
And that, my friends, is how Wish Upon a Cake was born. ❤️
From the bottom of my heart, thank you all for being part of this journey.
And we're just getting started! ❤️
And Then Something Wonderful Happened... ❤️
No sooner had I shared this story in our Wish Upon a Cake Bakers Group than something absolutely incredible happened.
WE FOUND HER!!! ❤️
The woman whose message I had searched for. The woman who had offered to bake and donate a birthday cake back in April. The woman whose simple act of kindness helped inspire what Wish Upon a Cake would eventually become.
Her name is Hanna.
And here's the part that brought me to tears.
SHE WAS ALREADY ONE OF OUR VOLUNTEER BAKERS!
All this time, I had wondered who she was, wished I could find her, and hoped that someday I could thank her.
And without even realizing it, she had already found her way into the very program she helped inspire.
I honestly don't have the words to describe how emotional that moment was for me.
As Wish Upon a Cake approaches 400 volunteer bakers across Florida, I finally have the opportunity to thank the woman whose kindness helped set this journey in motion.
Hanna, from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU. ❤️
You may have thought you were simply offering to donate a birthday cake, but that one message meant more than you could ever have imagined.
And now, here you are, part of the very thing your kindness helped inspire.
Sometimes life has a beautiful way of bringing a story full circle.
And this one couldn't have had a sweeter ending. ❤️
Meet Hanna ❤️
The Woman who helped Inspire Wish Upon a Cake
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