Cake4Kids
Cake4Kids is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2010 that delivers free homemade birthday, graduation, and adoption cakes to underserved youth ages 1-24 in foster care or facing hardship, via a network of 30+ volunteer-run chapters across the United States and partnerships with social service agencies.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersSunnyvale, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Cake4Kids does
Cake4Kids is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2010 by Libby Grunder and headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, that delivers free homemade birthday, graduation, and adoption cakes, cupcakes, and cookies to underserved youth ages 1-24, primarily in foster care or experiencing homelessness. Service is delivered through a network of 30+ volunteer-run chapters across 20+ U.S. states, coordinated via social service agency partnerships (foster care agencies, housing programs, schools, Boys & Girls Clubs, and children's centers) that submit cake requests on behalf of their clients. The organization operates a community-led go-to-market: agencies request cakes through an inquiry form, volunteer bakers (who must pass background checks and carry auto insurance) bake custom items matching each child's preferences, and volunteers deliver to the agency rather than directly to the child. As of April 2026, Cake4Kids reported a cumulative milestone of 100,000 youth supported nationwide.
The operating platform is a low-tech, web-based stack centered on a Squarespace-hosted website (cake4kids.org) supporting volunteer signups and orientation, agency partnership inquiries, cake request processing, donation collection, and a branded merchandise storefront. E-commerce merchandise (apparel, accessories, home goods, and greeting cards priced from $4 to $56) is fulfilled via Printful on a print-on-demand basis, eliminating inventory risk. The organization has no mobile app, no public API, no disclosed AI capabilities, and no proprietary software beyond standard web forms.
The business model is donation-funded: revenue streams include individual donations (credit card, PayPal, Venmo, Donor Advised Funds, stock, and vehicle donations), corporate give-back events (Kendra Scott 20% of sales, Panda Express 25% of event-day sales, See's Candies annual YUMraiser, King Arthur Baking ingredient support), annual benefit dinners and bake-offs with ticket sales and silent auctions, and merchandise sales. Pricing to beneficiaries is zero (cakes are free). Strategic partners include King Arthur Baking (national ingredient partner), Barebottle Brewing Company (Bay Area event venue), and a network of chapter-level agency partners. The organization holds Charity Navigator Four-Star and Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency ratings through 2026 and was featured on The Kelly Clarkson Show's 'Rad Humans' segment in April 2025.
Cake4Kids firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cake4Kids
- Legal name
- Cake4Kids
- Website
- https://cake4kids.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Cake4Kids is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2010 that delivers free homemade birthday, graduation, and adoption cakes to underserved youth ages 1-24 in foster care or facing hardship, via a network of 30+ volunteer-run chapters across the United States and partnerships with social service agencies.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cake4Kids industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Nonprofit Services
- NAICS
- Retail Bakeries (311811)
- SIC
- Bakery Products (2050)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cake Shops & Custom Celebration Cakes (THAFAFAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Birthday Party Services (HSACACAA), Dessert & Bakery Catering (Cakes, Pastries, Candy) (HSACAGAI)
Keywords
Where Cake4Kids is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sunnyvale
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices7 records
Markets served
Cake4Kids business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Donations and Contributions: Primary revenue stream from individual donors contributing via credit card, PayPal, Venmo, Donor Advised Funds (DAF), and stock donations. Tax ID 45-3148916 confirms 501(c)(3) status.
- Merchandise Sales: E-commerce store selling branded merchandise including apparel, accessories, home goods, and greeting cards. Products range from $4 stickers to $56 hoodies, with shipping covered by organization.
- Event-Based Fundraising: Annual benefit dinners, silent auctions, spring fling bake-offs, and community events generate revenue through ticket sales, auction proceeds, and direct donations.
- Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors (e.g., Kendra Scott events donate 20% of sales), See's Candies fundraisers, and chapter-level business partnerships provide ongoing revenue support.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Store merchandise with varying price points |
| Other | One-time | 100,000 Celebration Campaign donation tiers |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Cake4Kids product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cake4Kids is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free, custom homemade birthday, graduation, and adoption cakes to children and youth ages 1-24 in foster care or otherwise at-risk. Cakes are baked by volunteer bakers and delivered to recipients through partner social service agencies that submit individual requests.
Product overview
Cake4Kids is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization operating as a single, unified charitable program that coordinates homemade cake donations to underserved youth. The core Cake4Kids Core Program connects volunteer bakers with social service agencies to fulfill cake requests for youth in foster care and underserved communities. The organization also operates the Cake4Kids Store as a merchandise add-on that sells branded apparel and accessories to raise additional funds. Multiple engagement pathways exist including the Volunteer Program for community bakers and helpers, the Agency Partnership Program for social workers and case managers, and the Donations and Ways to Give program for financial and supply contributions. The organization supports youth ages 1-24 across chapters nationwide and has delivered over 100,000 cakes as of 2025.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Cake4Kids Core Program (Birthday & Celebration Cake Delivery) Free custom homemade birthday, graduation, and adoption cakes baked by volunteers and delivered to individual foster and at-risk youth ages 1-24.
- Cake4Kids Store Online merchandise storefront selling Cake4Kids-branded products such as apparel and accessories to support the organization's mission.
- Agency Partnership Program Partner program enabling social workers, group homes, and case managers to refer foster and at-risk youth for free celebration cakes delivered through local chapters.
- 100,000 Celebration Campaign Fundraising campaign soliciting tiered donations to scale Cake4Kids' cake delivery operations to the 100,000-celebration milestone.
Quantifiable outcome
- 100,000 youth supported with celebration cakes since founding in 2010
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Cake4Kids
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Cake4Kids technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Cake4Kids partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- King Arthur BakingcoreNational partner providing baking ingredients and hosting chapter events. King Arthur Baking hosts Colorado chapter cupcake giveaways at their Denver RiNo location and provides ongoing ingredient support for volunteer bakers.
- Kendra ScottcoreJewelry brand hosts 'Gives Back' shopping events where 20% of sales are donated to Cake4Kids. Multiple events held across San Diego, DC, Chicagoland, and Northern Virginia locations.
- Panda ExpressminorRestaurant give-back events where 25% of sales on event day are donated. Fundraiser code system enables tracking of contributions per event.
- Boys and Girls Club of Cathedral CitycorePrimary agency partner in Coachella Valley identifying children in need of birthday celebrations and receiving cake deliveries.
- See's CandiesminorAnnual 'YUMraiser' partnership where See's Candies sells candy through Cake4Kids fundraising links, with proceeds supporting operations.
- Barebottle Brewing CompanycoreBay Area craft brewery hosts 'Bakes and Brews' events across multiple locations (San Francisco, Walnut Creek, Santa Clara) to celebrate milestones and recruit volunteers. Event venue partner for 100,000 Moments celebrations.
- Uplift Family ServicescoreAgency partner serving youth in foster care. Social workers submit cake requests on behalf of clients.
- Barbara Sinatra Children's CentercoreDesert region agency partner receiving cake deliveries for youth served by the center.
- RCS (Religious Community Services) FresnominorFresno area agency sponsor for community programs and gingerbread decorating contests.
- North Star Family CenterminorFresno area agency sponsor for youth programs.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Cake4Kids competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Icing Smiles: A 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides custom celebration cakes — at no cost — to families of critically ill children. Closest functional peer to Cake4Kids: same product (custom celebration cakes), same volunteer-baker delivery model, same target demographic of children in hardship.
- Birthday Wishes: Nonprofit providing birthday parties and celebrations to children experiencing homelessness and housing instability across multiple U.S. states. Direct peer on mission scope (birthday celebration delivery for at-risk youth) and chapter-style operating model.
- Cookies for Kids' Cancer: Baked-goods-driven fundraising nonprofit supporting pediatric cancer research and family services. Comparable as a charity whose mission is delivered through volunteer-produced baked goods and grassroots event fundraising.
- The Birthday Party Project: Nonprofit that brings group birthday celebrations to children experiencing homelessness, partnering with shelters across multiple states. Shares Cake4Kids' birthday-celebration core and agency-partnership distribution model.
- Birthday Blessings: Volunteer-led nonprofit that provides birthday boxes (including cake) to children in homeless shelters, group homes, and foster care across Texas and other regions. Direct overlap with Cake4Kids' foster-care and at-risk youth birthday-cake mission.
Others
- King Arthur Baking Company: Cake4Kids' named national ingredient-supply and event-venue partner; a major consumer baking brand whose 'Bake for Good' community program is thematically adjacent to Cake4Kids' volunteer-baking model.
Broad incumbents
- No Kid Hungry: Large national nonprofit addressing childhood hunger and food insecurity through grants, advocacy, and public campaigns. Adjacent child-welfare incumbent overlapping with Cake4Kids' underserved-youth demographic, but with a much broader scope.
Emerging players
- Together We Rise: National nonprofit supporting current and former foster youth through programs, donations, and community events. Overlaps with Cake4Kids on the foster-care youth segment and on agency-partnership distribution, but serves a broader mandate than cake delivery.
- A Sense of Home: Nonprofit that furnishes first homes for young adults aging out of foster care. Overlaps with Cake4Kids on the foster/underserved-youth segment and on the agency-referral distribution model.
- Magic Hour Foundation: Nonprofit that funds and hosts birthday celebrations for children affected by homelessness, domestic violence, and foster care. Comparable mission niche (celebrations for at-risk youth), at smaller scale than Cake4Kids.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Cake4Kids social profiles
Digital presenceCake4Kids financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cake4Kids leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Cake4Kids funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cake4Kids M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cake4Kids
What does Cake4Kids do?
Cake4Kids is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free, custom homemade birthday, graduation, and adoption cakes to children and youth ages 1-24 in foster care or otherwise at-risk. Cakes are baked by volunteer bakers and delivered to recipients through partner social service agencies that submit individual requests.
Is Cake4Kids a public or private company?
Cake4Kids is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Cake4Kids founded?
Cake4Kids was founded in 2010. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Cake4Kids based?
Cake4Kids is headquartered in Sunnyvale, United States, in the North America region.
How does Cake4Kids make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Donations and Contributions are the primary driver. The others are merchandise Sales, event-Based Fundraising and corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships.
Who are Cake4Kids's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Icing Smiles, Birthday Wishes, Cookies for Kids' Cancer, The Birthday Party Project and Birthday Blessings. King Arthur Baking Company is listed as an others. No Kid Hungry is listed as a broad incumbent. Emerging players are Together We Rise, A Sense of Home and Magic Hour Foundation.
Does Cake4Kids have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cake4Kids.
What industry is Cake4Kids in?
Cake4Kids's product category is Youth Nonprofit Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFAFAC, Cake Shops & Custom Celebration Cakes, with a secondary code of HSACACAA, Birthday Party Services. Its NAICS code is 311811 and its SIC code is 2050.