A chance encounter between Icing Smiles Founder Tracy Quisenberry and Karen Griffiths at a trade show in 2012 became a turning point for the organization.

It was 2012. Icing Smiles was gifted booth space at a trade show in Reno, Nevada, which meant its booth was relegated to the hallway no one walks through.

As Founder Tracy Quisenberry set up shop, she met the publisher of Cake Decorating Magazine, Karen Griffiths. “There was not a soul going down our aisle, so we talked for three days,” Karen recalls. Adds Tracy: “We hit it off instantly. She became a fan of our mission from that point forward.” 

Karen began promoting Icing Smiles in the magazine, running ads for the organization and featuring a Baker of the Month section that highlighted Sugar Angels and their creations. Five years later, when Icing Smiles had an opening on the executive team and Karen had had enough of working in publishing, the two joined forces. 

Now, Karen is retiring from her position as Icing Smiles’ assistant director, but her years of dedicated service and strategic contributions have left an indelible mark on the organization, helping it reach new heights in its mission to bring joy to children and families facing critical illnesses.

“She is a huge part of who Icing Smiles is today and has been fundamental in the growth to get us to where we are,” says Development Director Chelsea Boog. “Her legacy will carry on as we continue to grow as an organization.”

Accelerating Growth

One of the most impactful changes Karen helped usher in at Icing Smiles was the move to a customer relationship management (CRM) tool, which allowed the organization to move from keeping track of everything on an Excel spreadsheet to a system that allows for easier and faster communication and more accurate data and minimizes the time spent on each request.

“The way our operations were set up, we’d maxed out at the number of cakes we could serve each year,” Karen says. “Our goal is growth. We want to serve more and more families.”

So far, the new system has reduced the average application processing time from 30 minutes to 10 minutes.

“The CRM completely changed how we do business and really positioned us for growth,” Tracy says. “Rather than worrying about how to do things better, we’re worrying about how to grow. That’s a huge shift that’s going to be a permanent legacy.”

A Game-changing Partnership

Karen was also crucial to bringing Craftsy on board as the SugarThon sponsor in 2022. A COVID-era pivot from in-person Buttercream Balls, SugarThon started in 2021 as a virtual fundraiser. In 2022, Craftsy handled the production of the event and hosted the virtual cake-decorating competition and fundraiser on its platform.

“They were a huge name to bring on,” Chelsea says. “It had a huge impact and created a lot of visibility for us.”

A Remarkable Comeback

Karen’s leadership has been pivotal in helping Icing Smiles return to its pre-COVID numbers. Before 2020, Icing Smiles was delivering around 300 cakes a month, but the pandemic caused a significant dip in these figures. 

Last month, Icing Smiles successfully delivered 250 cakes, marking a significant milestone on its journey back to its former capacity. Karen’s team of volunteers has been proactively reaching out to families and encouraging them to consider cakes not just for birthdays but for any occasion. Additionally, Icing Smiles just started sending automated email reminders to families six months after they receive a cake to encourage them to sign up for their next cake. 

With Karen’s guidance and these innovative approaches, Icing Smiles is well on its way to reaching and even surpassing its pre-pandemic achievements.

A Heartwarming Memory

When Karen thinks back on her time with Icing Smiles, she remembers one of her favorite cake deliveries: Navaeh’s cake. 

As assistant director, Karen helped with cake assignments when the scheduler tried all avenues and still did not have a baker secured. On this day, she was trying to find a baker for Navaeh, a little girl battling leukemia. Navaeh was turning 5 and was having her celebration on Nov. 9. Due to a recent COVID diagnosis, the Sugar Angel originally scheduled was unable to proceed, but the family was going on a trip to a Great Wolf Lodge Nov. 10–12 and did not want to change the date of the celebration.

So Karen attempted to locate a bakery near the Great Wolf Lodge. Without success, she went the extra mile and called Great Wolf Lodge to see if they could help out. They were more than willing to make this a special occasion for Nevaeh. The cake would be in their room upon arrival so they would not have to spend any time in their room waiting to get to the water park. 

“Karen embodies what Icing Smiles is about by always supporting our bakers and families,” says Lauren Smith, Icing Smiles’ southern regional coordinator. “She does a great job at helping save situations that need to be saved.”

A Dynamic Duo

As assistant director, Karen was the executor of Tracy’s ideas. “I am a volunteer executive director,” says Tracy, who works full time as the international tax lead at EchoStar Corp. “Karen knew I didn’t have the time to execute everything I wanted to. She would always say, ‘Tracy is shooting out ideas and I execute them.’ That was her attitude.”

And that’s one of the things Karen will miss most. “Tracy and I were incredible working together,” Karen says. “She has so many ideas and, with her full-time job, zero time to implement. I just love trying to implement some of her ideas. I will miss that a lot.”

But she’s also looking forward to retirement. “I’m looking forward to spending time with my two grandchildren,” she says. “I’d like to finish a book. I want to clean my house. I might pick up playing the piano again. But I don’t know if I’ll ever totally leave Icing Smiles. Tracy and I — we have an agreement: If needed, just call me.”

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If you want more updates from Icing Smiles, sign up to receive periodic updates from the team. You can choose to receive the newsletters we send out every other month or to be notified when a new blog posts. We think you’ll enjoy reading about the smiles we help to create. These stories inspire us. They motivate us. And they are the reasons we are here.

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Meet the family and Sugar Angel who inspired this year’s design.

We are so excited to share with you our third annual limited-edition Icing Smiles ornament and the family and Sugar Angel who inspired this year’s design.

Whether you’re looking for a new tree ornament to add the final touch to your holiday setup, a gift to give a cake-lover or Sugar Angel in your life, or a way to support a nonprofit near and dear to your heart, your purchase helps us to provide custom celebration cakes and other treats to families impacted by the critical illness of a child. 

How? The cost of this ornament covers the cost of a cake so that a child can receive smiles and happy memories, even in the darkest of times.

Meet Kylie

This year’s ornament is a replica of a cake delivered to Kylie on her second birthday.

Kylie came into the world three weeks early, but her mom knew right away that she was strong. “She was very spunky and very independent, and she had this way about her that she was just wise beyond her years,” says her mom, Bree Rowand.

But at 19 months, Kylie was diagnosed with stage 4 high-risk neuroblastoma. She spent over 200 days in the pediatric ICU, where she was also diagnosed with vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP). “It took two months for them to figure out what was wrong with her,” Bree says. At the time, Kylie was the only child ever seen with VIP in stage 4 neuroblastoma.

While Kylie was fighting for her life — there was a tumor in her abdomen and attached to her left adrenal gland, a dozen small tumors on her liver, over two dozen on her lungs, and lesions that spanned from the top of her skull all the way to her ankles — her parents started a Facebook page to update family and friends. Over 275,000 people would come to follow Kylie’s story.

“She brought so many people together,” Bree says. “It was more of a movement. This powerful movement of love and togetherness.”

Bree heard about Icing Smiles through Barbara Zobian with Candlelighters NYC and thought it would be a beautiful way to celebrate. “We always tried to bring joy and laughter into her hospital room,” she says.

A Power-ful Cake

The cake wouldn’t only be Kylie’s second birthday cake — it would also be Icing Smiles’ 5,000th cake delivered. We reached out to one of the top cake artists in the industry: Kate Sullivan of Cake Power. 

Brought into the Icing Smiles orbit through her friend and fellow baker (and now Icing Smiles board member) Elisa Strauss, Kate is one of our original vision carriers. A blog post she wrote about her first call to action went viral. She knew she wanted to do something special for Kylie.

The week before Kylie’s birthday party, while walking in New York City, Kate was hit by a car. “It happened in slow motion,” Kate recalls. “My first thought was, ‘What am I going to do about this cake?’”

Despite breaking her leg in two places (“It wasn’t a big deal,” she swears), Kate, with the help of her assistant, finished the cake, which incorporated all of Kylie’s favorite stuffed animals, and delivered it to the hospital — via her wheelchair. “It was so beautiful,” Bree recalls. “I didn’t even want to cut into it.”

Although Kylie was in and out of sleep during the party, it was meaningful for her family, especially her parents. “Those memories of that day are something that we will always remember,” Bree says. “In the midst of our world spinning and darkness around us, Icing Smiles bringing us together was such a special moment.”

Kylie passed away on Feb. 7, 2015, but her legacy lives on. Her parents started the Kylie Rowand Foundation, which provides support for children and their families directly affected by childhood cancer. It funds research, provides financial assistance to families through its Kylie Cares program, and takes kids on field trips through its Love Like Kylie program. 

Today, Bree and Luke live in Arizona with their four children.

Picking the 2023 Ornament

Last year’s ornament featured a replica of Super Sibling Christopher’s cake. Sales helped us raise over $3,000, which has helped make the over 2,011 cakes delivered so far in 2023 possible. 

“Our leadership team brought to the table many incredible cakes as ideas for this year’s ornament,” says Icing Smiles’ Development Coordinator Chelsea Boog. “It is always hard to pick just one. Kylie’s cake was chosen for its fun colors, incredible story, and the impact the cake made on all who were a part of it. We are honored to use this ornament as another way to honor Kylie and her fight and to carry on her legacy.”

Bree says she’s grateful for Icing Smiles:

Give the Gift of Smiles

The beautifully designed ornament is 2.3 wide and 2.5 inches tall and is available for purchase online. Yes, we know the form says tickets, but we can’t change it. One “ticket” equals one ornament. The price includes shipping, and all ornaments will be shipped beginning of December.

Meet Becky Foy, Jodie Nicholes, and Ishita Kashyap.

Icing Smiles is delighted to announce the addition of three exceptional individuals to its board.

“These new board members bring a wealth of experience, passion, and dedication to the organization, strengthening our commitment to making life a little sweeter for children and their families during challenging times,” says Icing Smiles Executive Director Tracy Quisenberry. “As Icing Smiles continues to grow and expand its reach, it’s crucial to have a diverse and skilled leadership team steering the ship.”

Let’s take a moment to meet the three remarkable individuals who have recently joined Icing Smiles’ board.

Empowering People to Bake a Difference

Becky Foy, of St. Michael, Minnesota, is HR division director at Lakeside HR Group. Her expertise in talent development and human resources is evident in her professional life. However, it’s her journey into the world of cake decorating that brought her into contact with Icing Smiles.

Becky first started decorating cakes for her two sons’ birthdays. She vividly recalls a Spiderman cake she attempted for her son, which, despite her best efforts, didn’t turn out as expected. “It looked terrible,” she recalls with a laugh. This experience led her to delve into cake decorating, fueled by her fascination with shows like Ace of Cakes. Today, she not only bakes for her family but also for various occasions, using the proceeds to support charitable causes.

Her path to Icing Smiles began when she received an email from her son’s high school friend, who had come across Icing Smiles and instantly thought Becky should be part of this incredible organization. “Yes, I do!” she thought after exploring the Icing Smiles website. Becky became a Sugar Angel in May 2021, and since then, she’s completed seven calls to action.

“I was blessed with very healthy children, but I know people that weren’t,” she says today. “I saw the struggles and the pain. For me, to do something to bring a smile to their face during times when families have so many other things to deal with, to just take this off the parents’ place — I love to give back in that way.”

One of her most memorable experiences was creating a wolf-themed cake for a young boy named Henry, who was battling a rare blood cancer.

In addition to the cake, Becky gifted him a wolf print from an actual wolf that she had at home.

“I was able to not only deliver that cake but also give his parents that present to give to him, and he was so excited,” she recalls. “I was super happy for him. To me, that’s what it’s about. It’s that connection. You know there’s a reason you were chosen to do that cake for that child.”

Becky’s journey with Icing Smiles took a new turn when she was invited to join the organization’s board. Her background in HR and her experience on another nonprofit board made her a natural fit for this role. “We know what has to power what happens behind the scenes are people — not only people who work for Icing Smiles but also a lot of volunteers,” she says. “I hope I can make an impact where we’re trying to take that asset that is the people and think about ways to inspire them and keep them wanting to be part of the organization.”

Leveraging Three Decades of Media Experience

Jodie Nicholes first encountered Icing Smiles when she was a producer for NBC News.

A friend of hers in Charlotte, North Carolina, is a Sugar Angel, and when Jodie heard about the nonprofit, she knew she wanted to spread the word.

She produced a story featuring Tracy and Icing Smiles families that aired on 215 NBC affiliates and cable partners. This encounter ignited her passion for the organization’s mission, prompting her to dive headfirst into helping with PR efforts. Over the years, Jodie and Tracy remained in touch, with Jodie continuing to support the cause. Her dedication eventually led to an invitation to join the board, a role she embraced with enthusiasm.

“The little difference Icing Smiles makes in the life of a family is as important as some of the larger research missions,” says Jodie, who is now senior vice president of production services for 4media group. “It’s the daily connection. It’s the little bit that makes them feel like a child again. When you say ‘Baking a difference,’ it truly is.”

With three decades of experience in media, both in network news and her current role in advertising and marketing, Jodie brings a unique perspective to the board. Her extensive connections with national media outlets position her to enhance Icing Smiles’ visibility and reach. Jodie’s expertise in advertising also opens doors to creative marketing strategies and partnerships that can elevate awareness.

“There’s no end to what Icing Smiles and the people who put their love and passion into it every single day can do and how it can grow,” she says. “The need is out there. Getting various hospitals and cancer clinics and social workers to know about Icing Smiles is the biggest challenge. We have thousands of Sugar Angels ready on a dime. So it’s connecting our resources to the right people to expand the mission. I’m excited to be part of that and see how I can bring that awareness out.”

A Global Vision

Ishita Kashyap’s journey with Icing Smiles began when she moved from India to New York in 2019. While awaiting her work visa, she wanted to use her skills to give back to the community. “I always loved baking,” she says. “I wanted to do something baking related but where I could use my skills as a lawyer to give back.”

This led her to discover Icing Smiles, where she initially took on the role of a scheduling assistant. One of Ishita’s memorable experiences with Icing Smiles involved a 1-year-old boy with a heart condition. She struggled to find a baker for him, but Ishita’s determination led her to connect with a Sugar Angel willing to drive an hour and a half to make the delivery. The result was a heartwarming moment when the family received the cake, and the joy it brought to their faces left a lasting impression on Ishita. She also lent her legal expertise to ensure data privacy and protection during the intake process, ensuring that the valuable data collected and shared within the organization is handled with the utmost care and responsibility. 

As life unfolded, Ishita moved to Canada, where she is now a lawyer at McMillan LLP. As a member of the board, Ishita is eager to leverage her legal background, organizational skills, and passion for the cause to help Icing Smiles reach its goals. She recognizes the hard work involved in realizing the organization’s vision and is committed to contributing to its growth and success.

Ishita envisions Icing Smiles becoming a household name that transcends borders. She hopes to see the organization grow beyond the United States, with chapters spreading the mission of bringing joy and sweetness to children and families facing challenging times.

Join Us in Spreading Smiles and Sweetness

We are thrilled to introduce you to our three remarkable new board members, who bring their passion, skills, and dedication to the Icing Smiles family. With their invaluable contributions, we are better equipped than ever to continue making life a little sweeter for children and their families during challenging times.

Your generous donations enable us to provide custom cakes to children facing critical illnesses. Every contribution, no matter the size, makes a difference in brightening a child’s day.

In a world where fundraising events are commonly held to support various causes, the concept of friendraisers is gaining momentum. Friendraisers offer a unique opportunity to not only raise funds for Icing Smiles but also spread awareness and engage with your community in a more personal and meaningful way. 

Understanding the Difference: Fundraiser vs. Friendraiser

While fundraisers and friendraisers share a common goal of raising funds, they differ in their approach and purpose. Fundraisers primarily focus on generating financial support for an organization, often through large-scale events or campaigns. 

On the other hand, friendraisers emphasize building connections, fostering relationships, and spreading awareness about Icing Smiles. Friendraisers aim to engage friends, family, and community members on a more personal level, inviting them to participate actively and become ambassadors for the cause they care about.

Everyone Knows Someone We Can Serve

The beauty of friendraisers is their ability to leverage existing relationships and networks. Everyone knows someone — an acquaintance, a friend, or a family member — who could benefit from Icing Smiles. By engaging our personal circles through friendraisers, we expand our reach and create a ripple effect of awareness and support.

“It is incredible through word of mouth who this organization can reach,” says Icing Smiles Founder Tracy Quisenberry. 

In this blog post, we will explore three friendraisers that can help support Icing Smiles.

1. Cake and Cookie Sponsorships

A cake or cookie sponsorship is when a Sugar Angel hosts a personal campaign to collect donations from their friends, family, and colleagues to not only help offset supply costs but also to raise funds for Icing Smiles. 

Icing Smiles provides all the tools you’ll need to get sponsors for your cake or cookies. In just a few short steps, you’re able to set up your personal fundraising page. We’ve made it easy by providing a template to help you get started, but you know your connections best. It can help to tweak the suggested messages or write your own to promote your fundraiser in your own style. After your page is up and running, we also provide templates you can use to reach out to your friends and family about your fundraising efforts and to thank those who donate.

This type of fundraising not only raises money for Icing Smiles. It also increases exposure for our organization and helps us expand our reach to new, previously unexplored networks of supporters. “People don’t realize it’s not just about money,” says Icing Smiles Founder Tracy Quisenberry. “It’s about telling our story.”

Cake and cookie sponsorships are important for Icing Smiles. In 2022, Sugar Angels helped bring in over $6,000 for the organization through their sponsorship pages. However, the true magic of these fundraisers is that they’re also “friendraisers.”

“By sharing about Icing Smiles and the cakes they’re making, more people are learning of our cause and mission, helping us to grow toward our organization’s goal of becoming a household name,” says Development Coordinator Chelsea Boog.

2. Violet’s Bake Sale

Violet’s Bake Sale is a classic and accessible friendraiser that taps into the power of community support. The beauty of it is that a virtual bake sale requires no physical venue. Instead, you use your phone, email, and social media to promote a personalized bake sale event page featuring different dessert packages. Then your local friends, family, and neighbors preorder which delicious desserts they would like from you, and you — or a Sugar Angel in the area who is willing to provide baked goods for your bake sale — can then bake and deliver the treats. The great part about a virtual bake sale is you receive the orders in advance. 

By involving the community in this tangible way, participants not only raise funds but also create opportunities for conversations about Icing Smiles’ mission and the impact it has on the lives of children and their families.

Whether you volunteer all the time or are still waiting for that call to action, you can host a virtual bake sale anytime, anywhere, and we’ve got all the stuff to get you started!

3. Best Cake Ever

Best Cake Ever is a peer-to-peer friendraiser that encourages individuals to showcase their baking skills and offer their favorite cake creations to raise funds for Icing Smiles. Every October, participants enter their cakes and then engage with their community to promote it, get votes, and raise donations for the Icing Smiles’ mission. 

We provide you with marketing tools for social media and email to get the word out to family and friends to vote for your cake in the form of donations! Each dollar made to each cake’s’ fundraising page counts as one vote for that cake ($1 = 1 vote, $20 = 20 votes, etc.) with all of the proceeds benefiting Icing Smiles. The cakes that receive the most votes win prizes like one-on-one cake-decorating lessons with famous pastry chefs, Icing Images edible printers, and other cake-decorating supplies from our sponsors. 

By sharing their passion for baking and Icing Smiles’ mission, participants can spread awareness while collecting donations to help us continue delivering smiles. 

Gather Your Friends to Bake a Difference

Friendraisers are an innovative and impactful way to make a difference while spreading awareness about Icing Smiles. By participating in peer-to-peer fundraisers such as Best Cake Ever, cake and cookie sponsorships, and Violet’s Bake Sale, we can actively engage our communities, involve friends and family, and contribute to the mission of Icing Smiles. 

Plus, when you volunteer to host a cake or cookie sponsorship, participate in the Best Cake Ever Contest, or host a bake sale with Icing Smiles, you will have a team of supporters behind you to ensure its success. We are here to help you and make this fun and easy for you while supporting our mission. 

In the world of baking, cakes are not just desserts; they are masterpieces that bring joy and celebration to our lives. 

Our Sugar Angels are true artists. Armed with their mixing bowls, spatulas, and an unwavering passion for their craft, they possess the remarkable ability to transform the ordinary into extraordinary. From everyday objects to fantastical landscapes, Sugar Angels can turn virtually anything into a delectable masterpiece that tantalizes both the taste buds and the imagination. 

Whether they are professionals or passionate hobbyists, creative bakers rely on trusted products to bring their visions to life. When it comes to fondant, edible paint, and modeling chocolate, one company that stands out as a go-to choice is Satin Ice. 

Since 2011, Satin Ice has been an invaluable partner in Icing Smiles’ mission: The Icing Smiles logo is displayed prominently on Satin Ice fondant. The company has supported Icing Smiles over the years with cash and product donations. And its marketing director, Paul McVeigh, is Icing Smiles’ board secretary. 

“I am honored our customers see Satin Fine Foods as a visible partner,” Paul says. “Icing Smiles is a pillar of our company, and we couldn’t be prouder to be associated. On a personal note, I have three young kids of my own. I can’t begin to imagine the pain these families must be going through.”

Satin Ice’s fondant serves as the canvas upon which many of these artists work their magic, allowing them to sculpt intricate shapes, achieve vibrant colors, and bring the most imaginative cake designs to life.

Sugar Angel Charmagne Pearson says she likes the quality and the “new” taste of Satin Ice fondant products. “In my area, I have limited availability of cake-decorating items, and I would need to add candy flavoring to Satin Ice pre-rolled fondant to mask the Play-Doh taste,” she says. “But a few years ago, they changed the formula. It now has a nice marshmallow taste and texture. It is consistent, and I know how it will behave.”

Sugar Angel Sandra Griggs Smiley says she uses the fondant for the dark, rich colors, including metallic gold, and Sugar Angel Mike Elder says Satin Ice is all he’s ever used. 

Sugar Angel Kerri Weitzel adds: “If I have to cover a cake in fondant, I have always used Satin Ice because I can count on the quality of it creating a nice even non- tearing, clean, crisp-colored look. I also love it for use when I am doing sculpture work with a little addition of Tylose powder.”

In this blog post, we’re showcasing some of the incredible creations that have been brought to life using Satin Ice.

Sugar Angel Kristin Lynn made this Ms. Rachel cake using Satin Ice fondant for her third call to action.

Sugar Angel Victoria Andreacchio created a 17-inch Pokemon cake. For the ears, she used Satin Ice modeling chocolate. A Sugar Angle since 2014, Victoria’s first Icing Smiles cake was for a girl’s first birthday party — and the cake was bigger than she was!

Sugar Angel Laurie Romano hasn’t received a call to action in six years. She claims she’s “rusty” with fondant work, but her Fortnite cake, made using Satin Ice fondant, proves otherwise.

Victoria was at it again. This time, she used Satin Ice fondant for a Watch Dogs cake.

Sugar Angel Garima Rawat made cookies for the Cookie Club. She used Satin Ice modeling chocolate for the blue-sweater cookies.

Sugar Angel Sandra Griggs Smiley likes Satin Ice fondant for the dark, rich colors, including metallic gold.

Become a Sugar Angel

Satin Ice has played a vital role in empowering talented Sugar Angels to bring their creative visions to life with its premium fondant and modeling chocolate. From intricately designed Dream Cakes to whimsical character sculptures and even exquisitely decorated cookies, the possibilities are limitless. Satin Ice continues to be a trusted companion, providing the perfect canvas for Sugar Angels to showcase their skills and bring smiles to faces around the world.

If you have a genuine love for baking and a desire to use your skills to bring smiles to the faces of children facing difficult circumstances, then you have the foundation to become a Sugar Angel, too. 

Icing Smiles has served cakes to children in every state, but we know there are deserving kids and families who don’t know about us yet. 

“I am in Rhode Island, and I have noticed not very many people know about Icing Smiles,” says Sugar Angel Brittany Spitznagel. Adds Sugar Angel Leslie O’Donnell: “I’m in Rhode Island as well, and most people have never heard of it until I say something about it.”

This year, we’re focused on building awareness of Icing Smiles among families impacted by the critical illness of a child. We like to call the people who help tell our story our vision carriers.

“It is incredible through word of mouth who this organization can reach,” says Icing Smiles Founder Tracy Quisenberry. 

Here’s a look at seven ways you can spread the Icing Smiles message and help us become a household name.

1. Connect with Nonprofits

There are so many nonprofits that serve kids with chronic illnesses, from national groups like Dream Factory and Hopekids to organizations local to your area. Connect with other nonprofits that serve the same population as Icing Smiles and let them know about what we do.

That’s how Kris Koehler learned about Icing Smiles. Her 14-year-old son was granted a dream trip through the nonprofit, and someone at the organization asked if she’d heard of Icing Smiles. For Ian’s 16th birthday, he received a Harry Potter-themed cake. 

By building relationships with other organizations that share similar goals and values, Icing Smiles can leverage their existing networks to reach more families and children in need and we can work together to amplify one another’s impact.

2. Contact Hospitals and Hospices

Some Sugar Angels have reached out to local hospitals and hospice organizations to let them know about Icing Smiles. 

Sugar Angel Lisa Velesbir recommends contacting your area hospitals’ NICU or specific health centers and asking to speak to whoever is in charge of family outreach. Sugar Angel Tammy Anne says she asked her Icing Smiles rep to send her some postcards that she could pass on to her local hospitals. Sugar Angel Derry Wade also took postcards to her local Ronald McDonald House, pediatrician offices, and the children’s hospital patient services team. 

“Keep in mind that health care organizations have a lot of rules to mitigate risk,” Tracy says. “So this is not always the easiest path to families.

3. Attend Local Events

Sugar Angel Julie Fox spreads awareness of Icing Smiles by setting up tables at local events. She’s recently tabled for us at a HopeKids HopeWalk, a 5K to raise money and support for families who have a child with cancer or other life-threatening medical conditions.

“Not enough people know about Icing Smiles,” Julie says. “This is such a good way to get the word out. I really believe in Icing Smiles — and if I believe in something that somebody does, then I could talk about it forever.”

If you want to represent Icing Smiles at a local event, join our Local Outreach Team. We will ensure you are prepped and ready with the knowledge of what we are, how we work, and why we are needed.

4. Peer-to-peer Fundraise

Fundraising is great — we always need more donations. But one of the most valuable aspects of peer-to-peer fundraising is that they’re also “friendraisers.”

“By sharing about Icing Smiles and the cakes they’re making, more people are learning of our cause and mission, helping us to grow toward our organization’s goal of becoming a household name,” says Development Coordinator Chelsea Boog. 

Some common ways to fundraise for Icing Smiles are through cake and cookie sponsorships and virtual bake sales. There are lots of ways to peer-to-peer fundraise, though. For example, this past holiday season Sugar Angel Linda Cloutier donated to her local Festival of Trees, which is part of a silent auction that raises money for the charity of the donor’s choice. “I, of course, chose Icing Smiles,” she says. By participating, Linda not only raised funds for Icings Smiles but also raised awareness for our organization.

5. Pay It Forward

For all of our bakers out there, a simple way to introduce people to Icing Smiles and get them excited about supporting the cause is by baking a batch of cookies, attaching some information about us, and handing them out at work, church, your kids’ sporting events, and beyond. 

You might try adding the Icing Smiles logo or tagline — Baking a Difference — to the cookies using edible icing or frosting. Or you can print out small cards or flyers that contain information about Icing Smiles, such as a brief description of our mission, along with contact information and our website. You can attach these cards to the cookies using a ribbon or string. This can be a great opportunity to engage with people, answer any questions they may have, and get them excited about supporting us.

6. Share on Social

Of course, one of the easiest and most effective ways to get our name out there is on social media. Just one post, tweet, or Instagram story can dramatically increase awareness of Icing Smiles and our impact. 

You can write a post explaining why you care about Icing Smiles or how we’ve made an impact on your life. You can share about when you volunteer or are just thinking about the nonprofit. 

You can also follow us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn and sign up to receive our newsletters and blog posts. If one of our Facebook or Instagram posts or blogs catches your eye and makes you feel inspired, take the extra step and share it. The simple act of sharing could allow someone who might be eligible to receive a cake to discover us for the first time. Don’t underestimate the power of the post!

7. Wear Icing Smiles Gear

Another way to help increase awareness in your local area and show your personal support for Icing Smiles is to wear Icing Smiles gear. We have an Icing Smiles bracelet with our logo on the front and “Baking a Difference” on the back. We also offer a Sugar Angel Smile Pack, which includes a purple T-shirt, a logo patch, and a window cling. 

Sugar Angel Tiffany Michelle Stuart recently wore her pin to work and then posted about it on Facebook!

Share the Icing Smiles Story

“We’re never going to turn down a monetary donation,” Tracy says. “But there are so many other things you can do that are just as valuable. We rely on so much more than donations to provide smiles to our medical families.”