Left to right: Lauren Saucier, CASA of South Mississippi; Rachel McGill, Kaiden’s mom; Danielle, Gordon and Hadlee White, Quality Bakery; and Cynthia Chauvin, CASA of South Mississippi
By CASA of South Mississippi
Twenty years ago, CASA’s executive director, Cynthia Chauvin, asked a young person who spent most of her teenage years in foster care what CASA could do to improve the lives of children like her. Without hesitation, the young woman exclaimed, “Make sure they have birthday cakes and get to blow out candles!” Soon after, Candles of Hope was born.
In early October, CASA contacted Quality Bakery to see what it might cost to purchase cakes for the children in Harrison and Stone counties, where the program had expanded. Danielle White and her husband, Gordon, own and operate the business, which has a 75-year history of service to the community.
Less than 30 minutes later, the Whites received a call from a family friend about ordering a birthday cake for her late son, who tragically died last year. The caller, Rachel McGill, also mentioned that if she came across another child or family who couldn’t afford a cake, she would be willing to pay it forward in honor of her son, Kaiden.
Danielle White immediately thought of CASA and arranged with McGill to start funding and supplying birthday cakes. With over 300 children in foster care in the two counties, this is big undertaking for a small bakery in tough economic times, but that isn’t standing in the way.
On Oct. 9, McGill met with the Whites and CASA representatives at the bakery to pick up Kaiden’s cake, honor him on his birthday and finalize details of the project, which has a new name: Kaiden’s Candles of Hope.
“We could not be happier to have forged this partnership with Quality Bakery,” Chauvin says, “and I know that each cake that is made will be made with love for our children.”
The next week, the first birthday cakes were made at the bakery and delivered to children by CASA volunteers. If you would like to donate to Kaiden’s Candles of Hope, visit www.casasouthms.org/donate. For more information about volunteering or supporting CASA and the birthday cake project, please call (228) 344-0419.