03/28/2026
For years, the teachers in our community have been part of my story… in ways most people don’t even know.
When I was 13 years old and had nowhere to go, it was teachers who showed me kindness, who made me feel seen, and who helped keep me from falling through the cracks.
So in 2018, with just 200 followers on my page and working out of my home, I started something small… free cupcakes for teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week.
That first year, we gave away 50,000 cupcakes.
The next year… 80,000 cupcakes.
Because of the overwhelming love and support from teachers across the Valley, I was able to open Sugar and Lace Bakery. And in my first year in the storefront, we gave away over 160,000 cupcakes to 234 schools—personally delivered.
Last year, even without deliveries, we gave away 180,000 cupcakes.
Every single one… given with gratitude.
No purchase required. Just love, appreciation, and the hope that maybe someday you’d think of me for a cake, or follow my page, or simply feel valued.
💛
This year… is different.
And this is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to say.
With the rising cost of ingredients, utilities, and the cost of simply staying open… I am no longer able to financially continue the Teacher Appreciation Cupcake Giveaway this year.
It breaks my heart.
This bakery was built on your support. Truly. And giving back to teachers has never been a promotion—it has been a promise.
But right now, I am a one-woman business doing everything I can just to keep the doors open. Like so many small businesses, I’ve been pushed into a corner by the economy, and I’m doing my best to keep going.
Please know this… this decision was not made lightly.
And it does not mean I don’t care—because I care more than ever.
💛
To every teacher who has supported me, believed in me, and allowed me to give back all these years…
If you’ve ever been impacted by this tradition and would like to help keep it alive in the future, your support—whether through sharing, ordering, or simply spreading the word—means more than you know.
Thank you.
You helped build this bakery.
You helped build me.
And I will never forget that.
— Vanessa
Sugar and Lace Bakery
“Taste the difference”
