Baking Cakes for the Homeless

Manolo Betancur, a baker in Charlotte, North Carolina, has spent over a decade delivering free birthday cakes to people experiencing homelessness, treating them not as strangers but as neighbors. After immigrating from Colombia and starting his bakery, he realized that many unhoused individuals never get to celebrate their special day. Every two weeks, he bakes vanilla sheet cakes, some with special fillings, and personally delivers them to a local nonprofit’s birthday event. His act of kindness provides more than a sweet treat— it’s a moment of recognition and dignity for those who often feel invisible. For some, it’s the first birthday cake they’ve ever had. Betancur hopes that his cakes help restore human connection and remind those living on the margins of society that they are still cared for. 

Image via Today

Read other stories from the 12/8/25 newsletter:

My Cause My Cleats

Pen Pals Spark 60-Year Friendship

Daddy-Daughter Dance in Prison