Local bakeries offer sweet Thanksgiving help to families in need
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Everyone looks forward to celebrating Thanksgiving but hosting and preparing for the holiday can be hard work, especially if you’ve been experiencing struggles.
Several bakers in the Albuquerque area are whipping up something a little extra sweet this holiday season, as they are helping families prepare for their festivities.
“The Thanksgiving matchup is basically this opportunity for bakers in our community in Albuquerque to be paired with a family that might be struggling with everything that’s been going on for the last couple years,” said Skylar Shafer, Sky Sweets Bakery’s owner/baker.
Almost 50 local bakeries are teaming up to create and deliver desserts to families in need, free of charge this Thanksgiving season.
“I strongly believe that small businesses have a duty to uplift their community in a sense of kinship and strength,” said Liz McKenzie, the owner/baker at Howdy Cakes. “The Dené belief of kinship is, you know, everyone is your relative so you treat someone as if they are your family.”
Bakers bring their own wisdom and style to the table – from specialty cookies and cakes and pastries to incorporating Indigenous and Native flowers into designs, to custom-decorated cookies.
Around 50 bakeries in the Albuquerque area are teaming up to help make Thanksgiving a little sweeter for some families in need.
Each bakery is randomly matched with at least one family and sometimes even more than one. Once they contact and coordinate with those families, they get to deliver the sweet treats on Thanksgiving Week.
There are also ways you can help the participating businesses to show appreciation for this.
“We are more than willing, and I’m sure they are, if you purchase gift certificates for those businesses so we can adopt more families and spread the word,” said Kandi Ramsey, the co-owner of ABQ Sweet Spot. “Other businesses, please reach out to us, tell us what you want to donate and we’ll make those items happen for those families that still need them.”
The deadline for families to sign up is November 15 but there is a waitlist. Organizers are hopeful more bakers, sponsors and community members will get involved.
If you’re a bakery or sponsor that would like to join, you’re encouraged to email Skyssweetsbakery@gmail.com. More information is also on their website.