In one fell swoop, Cassie Malone learned to bake and decorate cakes in 2016, the same year her and her husband became certified fosters with the Osage Nation. Little did she know, both would go hand in hand quite sweetly.
“Every kid we had absolutely loved watching me bake, and it just brought them so much joy,” Malone said.
Malone, an Osage tribal member, explained that’s where the birthday cake tradition started because almost every kid in foster care had never experienced the joy of a custom birthday cake. Now, Malone makes sure she can get free custom cakes to as many foster kids as possible.
One of the experiences that stands out to Malone was a foster mom who reached out about getting a personalized cake for a teen she fostered.
“Even though she was a teenager, she was mentally younger due to her traumas. I had made her a cake specifically as the foster mom requested. When they picked it up, the whole family got out of the car and greeted us. Later, we found out that it was the first birthday cake that the teen has ever received in foster care, and it was a very emotional moment for her and her foster family. It was a reminder of why we do this and how important it is that we bring this joy to these kids and families,” Malone said.
Malone is always looking for ways to highlight her mission. “I advertise in social media community groups that I offer free cakes to foster children, hoping that foster parents, biological families, kids in foster care, or any agencies involved with foster care will see it,” Malone said.
She further described that usually, foster parents will excitedly reach out to her directly and that on top of the cake customizations she also partners with local organizations, businesses and churches to create events for foster families.
In Sapulpa, Malone is planning an event for Mother’s Day called, “Foster Mom’s Time-Out Day.” She described it as a day to offer childcare and to cater to all of the foster and adoptive moms who live and breathe all the chaos daily that foster care brings. She shared that she also has partnered with agencies like the Oklahoma Fostering Connections, Autism Birthday Club of the World, and more. Check out Malone’s Facebook page “Sugar Mama Cakery” for more information and updates.
“I am hoping by partnering with agencies, churches, and businesses all across Oklahoma that it shines a brighter, more positive light in foster care and that the community realizes that these kids in state care are our responsibility as a whole,” she said. “We need that consistency of support in every community statewide. We need good foster homes, good support for the foster families, and good resources to help our next generation be successful.”
You can help Malone with her upcoming events by donating to her fund, or by sponsoring food, drinks, event spaces, gift cards, volunteering or anything that will help her put on successful events. Malone is also extremely grateful for any ingredient donations for the cakes, or monetary funds to sponsor the kids. “Good things happening in foster care don’t happen that often. We need to create more good things,” she said.
