My name is Elicia Hammond, I am the founder and director of Birthday Cakes 4 Free and I run the Santa Cruz, Ca. chapter. I was born and raised in Northern California. I live in Santa Cruz, Ca., married, with a grown daughter, two young step-daughters, 2 cats and a weiner dog. I have been a dental hygienist for 14 years and work part time in private practice.
Before I started Birthday Cakes 4 Free, I rarely cooked, in fact I hated cooking. Baking cakes inspired me to try other things and now I enjoy cooking and I am getting pretty good at it! I am mostly a self taught baker. I took one decorating class, but learn mostly from books, videos on You Tube, web sites and asking lots of questions!
I am often asked how I started “Birthday Cakes 4 Free”. In 2008, my 40th birthday was coming up and instead of a big bash for myself, I wanted to find a way to give to someone else. I had an idea about having birthday parties for needy kids. I sent e- mails to friends and raised $1,300 in donations. But when the first party I hosted at a homeless shelter wasn't as successful as I hoped, I looked for another way to make a difference using the rest of the money. Then I read an article in People magazine about a woman who started a non-profit called “Free Cakes for Kids”. I joined her organization for about a year, then decided to start “Birthday Cakes 4 Free” in January 2010, providing cakes for kids as well as seniors. We now have chapter across the USA, and looking forward to more!
