13-year-old donates baked goods to homeless for every dessert he sells: 'It's all about helping people'
Michael Platt, a 13-year-old from Bowie, Maryland, has always loved to cook. When he was just 11 years old, he opened his own bakery, Michael's Desserts. Alongside his love for desserts, however, is his passion for social justice.
Three years ago, inspired by the shoe company Toms, which donates a pair of shoes for every one sold, Michael planned to make his own business a one-for-one model. For every dessert he sells, Michael donates another to the homeless, according to the Washington Post. Twice a month, Platt will trek to McPherson Square in D.C. to pass out food, or he'll take his treats to domestic violence shelters or transitional housing.
"I knew that I wanted to make a business, but I knew I didn't just want to make money. I also wanted to help people at the same time," Michael told WJLA.
After selling around 75 cupcakes a month through Facebook and his new website, as well as a dozen cookies and a dozen "chef's choice" items, Michael typically expects to donate at least 100 baked goods.
A Freedom Fighter always inspires the "chef's choice" item. This month is in honor of Maya Angelou, who loved banana pudding. On top of helping others, he's hopeful his baking can also spread awareness.
Recently, the young baker teamed up with No Kid Hungry (NKH) and taught a baking class, with a suggested price of $30 per person, at a Williams-Sonoma. According to Jessica Bomberg, who oversees fundraising for NKH, one in five children in D.C. don't know where their next meal will come from.
"I always wanted to have a purpose for what I do," Michael told the Washington Post. "It's all about helping people — not just having a purpose for yourself, but thinking about, 'How does this touch other things?'"
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