09/01/2026
Five years ago, at 15 years old, I started Let’s Bake the World a Better Place. What began with a love of baking and a desire to make a difference was also deeply personal. After losing a friend to su***de when I was 14, I knew that mental health awareness and su***de prevention were causes I wanted to advocate for.
As we start National Su***de Prevention Month, it feels especially meaningful to reflect on how much this organization has grown over the past five years.
We started with bake sales, bringing young people together to raise money for organizations doing important work in our community and beyond. Over time, our mission grew from raising money to taking direct action. Today, much of our work centers on distributing our Teen Mental Health Care Packages, created by youth for youth. Each one is a small reminder to a teen who may be struggling that they are seen, supported, and not alone.
What started as a small project in my hometown of Downingtown, Pennsylvania has grown into thousands of care packages reaching schools, counseling offices, mental health organizations, and communities across the country, including Wisconsin, Arkansas, North Carolina, Louisiana, Minnesota, Washington, Ohio, and more. Along the way, hundreds of youth have helped write letters, make friendship bracelets, assemble packages, raise awareness, and show other young people that they matter.
I never could have imagined all of this when I started five years ago. I’m incredibly grateful to every volunteer, organization, school, donor, friend, and community member who has believed in this mission and helped it grow. Five years later, I still believe in the idea that started it all: young people have the power to make a difference in each other’s lives.
Here’s to five years of baking the world a better place! 🧁🌎
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