Phoenix bakery uses $5K grant to make birthday cakes for foster kids

PHOENIX - With a layer of strawberries in between and frosting spread on the sides, cakes are one of the ultimate sweet treats.

But they're also a message: You matter.

"It's a cake, you know," said Shaun Breese with Urban Cookies Bakeshop. "It's such a simple thing but it makes such a huge impact."

The bakery could have crumbled when they found out Marcus Lemonis, host of CNBC's "The Profit," gave a $5,000 grant to them and other small businesses.

However, instead of spending it on something vanilla, they're sprinkling the money on what should be a sugary sweet day for kids by partnering with For Goodness Cakes, which makes birthday cakes for foster children.

"Some of these kids, not only have they never had a birthday cake before, having their name on a cake is also really, really significant," Breese said.

Leslie Nilsen with For Goodness Cakes says they've already given out 2,000 personalized cakes in the last 18 months and now will be able to do so much more.

"Many of these kids are in the foster care system or supported by homeless care shelters year after year, so we’re starting to see their names pop up again," Nilsen said. "We want to be there and want them to know that we’ll be there and bring them something special for their birthdays."

Urban Cookies will be spending every dollar of the grant on cakes, but they hope the kindness spreads and that people at home volunteer with For Goodness Cakes to make sure no kid slips through the cracks.

After all, these cakes can make a birthday finally feel like the celebration it should be.

"Even if you don’t see their face, to just know their name and know that you’re giving them a personalized birthday cake on their birthday is … phenomenal," Breese said.

Volunteer with For Goodness Cakes: http://forgoodnesscakes.org/

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