Mini Cheesecakes | Corona Relief Fundraiser

Baking, selling, and delivering mini cheesecakes to raise money for COVID-19 relief.

The Why & How

I have always loved service; I was raised volunteering at local community centers and visiting the sick and elderly because of the idea that each and every one of us have a responsibility to help improve the world and support each other. Even tiny, singular acts can have huge impacts, and I have always tried to be cognizant of this responsibility and the work I can do towards bettering my local and global communities.

After my university transitioned to fully remote learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I began baking as a hobby to pass the time and learn a new skill. I didn't realize how quickly I would fall in love it! I love creative activities, specifically the fine arts, and I discovered baking as another artistic medium. While baking is wonderful as a hobby alone, I began thinking about what I could do with it to make a change. On campus I am very involved in multiple service/nonprofit organizations, all of which have not been able to run because of the pandemic. I decided that I would utilize my newfound love for baking to raise money for COVID-19 relief.

The Jewish holiday, Shavuot, happened to be a few weeks away from when I initially decided to bake as a fundraising effort. It is customary to eat dairy on Shavuot, making cheesecake a hugely popular Shavuot dessert- and the perfect item to sell! I created small fliers detailing the prices and flavors of the mini cheesecakes I would sell and began advertising via text and word-of-mouth. After about two weeks, I had lots of orders; I ended up making over 200 mini cheesecakes! It was a LONG process and definitely not easy. I spent about 8 hours straight baking, but service is typically not simple,

quick work. After baking and decorating the cheesecakes, I packaged and delivered them all over my community and city to those who ordered.

Fun fact: this was actually my first time baking cheesecakes! Also, I don't even like cheesecake! This was purely altruistic; I just wanted to do my part, even if it was super small, to provide some support during these uncertain times.

I hope you and all of your families remain safe and healthy amidst the pandemic! Wishing you all continued wellness, and for those of you personally or with loved ones who are sick, I wish you a speedy recovery! 💕💕

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Recipes adapted from those or by Live Well Bake Often (check out her awesome recipes!)