LAKE WALES, FL — A Lake Wales nonprofit is helping make birthdays a little brighter for children whose families may be struggling financially by connecting them with volunteer bakers willing to create a birthday cake at no cost.
Highways of Hope Florida, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded by Lisa Poirier, operates Wish Upon a Cake, a year-round program that provides birthday cakes to children ages 3 to 13 whose families may otherwise be unable to provide one.
Poirier said Highways of Hope Florida began serving the community in 2025, while Wish Upon a Cake launched in 2026. What started as a small idea has quickly expanded across the state. “In just a few months, we have built a network of 152 volunteer home bakers with cake decorating experience serving communities throughout Florida,” Poirier said.
Since the program began, Highways of Hope Florida has helped provide over a dozen birthday cakes to children across Florida, with three donated through its newer statewide network of volunteer home bakers. The organization is currently coordinating 22 additional birthday cake requests statewide.
Requests now stretch from Naples to Miami and across communities including Sarasota, Tampa, Fort Pierce, Melbourne, West Palm Beach, Lake Wales, Lakeland, Riviera Beach and Wellington.
Poirier said the idea behind the program is simple: a family’s financial circumstances should not prevent a child from feeling celebrated on their birthday. “While a birthday cake may seem like a small gesture, to a child it can mean feeling loved, remembered, and celebrated,” Poirier said.
Volunteer bakers donate their time, skills and supplies to create cakes for participating children. One of those volunteers is Megan Browning of The Midnight Sugar Co. in Lake Wales, who became the first volunteer home baker in the program’s statewide network to make a cake for a child. “The mom and birthday girl were so grateful and loved the cake so much,” Browning said. “The birthday girl didn’t even know she was getting a cake at all so she was very surprised and thankful.”
Another volunteer baker helping make birthdays special is Samantha Spontak of Sweet Love Bakes in Bradenton. “Being able to give back to the community in a sweet, meaningful way is so important to me. I think everyone deserves a cake and celebration on their birthday,” Spontak said. “The family I was honored to be able to create for was so sweet and appreciative and just over the moon excited to receive their cake. It brings me so much joy to see that excitement. Goosebumps and teary eyes and everything!”
The program continues to seek experienced home bakers with cake-decorating skills throughout Florida. Families seeking a birthday cake for an eligible child can also apply through Highways of Hope Florida.
More information about Wish Upon a Cake, including volunteer opportunities and the cake request application, is available through the Highways of Hope Florida website or email info@highwaysofhopefl.org
