Give a Cake Bakery and Somerville Parks and Recreation Teen Programming are partnering to offer a pilot volunteer program for teens 13-18!
Teen: do you like to volunteer or are you looking to get volunteer hours (up to 9 certified hours)?
Do you want to learn how to start a business or a non-profit organization?
Are you interested in baking, or like to eat sweet treats?
Then this program is for you!
What is Give a Cake Bakery?
As found on their website, please read below!
"Our journey began in August 2020, when our founder, Julia Conroy, was inspired by her cherished memories of baking with her grandmother. Those moments of togetherness and the art of crafting desserts ignited a passion for baking. In our pursuit of the mission, Give A Cake Bakery Inc. was officially recognized as a 501(c)(3) organization on September 21, 2022. This milestone has enabled us to expand our reach and serve even more individuals and families in need. Delivered 1000+ baked goods to our partner organizations, and have built impactful partnerships with many non profits who inspire us daily".
Why are we partnering?
Give a Cake Bakery is passionate about offering sweet treats to uplift those who rarely receive them, spreading joy and creating cherished moments. Give a Cake has grown their volunteering team, and they go as young as 8th graders! They ask organizations to partner with them to bring joy through baked goods to those in need.
Do I need any baking experience?
Nope! Give a Cake welcomes all skill sets, and this program does not require any baking (sounds funny, right?).
What will we be doing during this program?
If we're not baking, what are we doing? This partnership program with Give a Cake X Parks and Recreation Teen Programming will offer 6 weeks of team meetings including different topics related to starting a business/non-profit (entrepreneurship), combined with community service and impact, and making goods that will be delivered by staff to various organizations in Somerville. During the production and packaging weeks, teens will make different "sweet treats", package them in an assembly line, and prepare for their delivery to people in the Somerville community who may be in need! Teens will have a voice in weekly topics and activities, what baked items will be made, and where they go!
Without baking, we will be showing teens various "sweet treats" that they can make at home without an oven. This will include non-baking treats, microwavable options, and more! This will give teens a unique opportunity to learn how to make food for themselves without access to a stove, or when parents are not home to supervise!
What is the outcome of this program?
3-4 of the weeks, participants will create, package, and prepare baked goods that will be delivered to various organizations in Somerville (example, homeless shelters, assisted living, community fridges, etc. The last week, teens will be given a certificate of completion along with volunteer hours, and an end-of-program celebration!
