Deciding to make a positive change in the world doesn’t necessarily come with age, as many kids are stepping up to the plate these days in major ways to make a difference in their communities. The latest member of the younger generation worth noting is a 13-year-old baker, whose using his cupcakes to help out the homeless.
Michael Platt is only 13 years old, but he’s already figured out the importance of running a business—and giving back to those in need. For every cupcake young Michael sells, he gives some to the homeless a few times a month at domestic violence shelters, transitional housing and parks in the Washington area.
Michael’s passion for baking began at the tender age of 11, when he started Michaels Desserts with a clear message that helping others was more important than helping himself. He notes that there is no apostrophe in his business name because “it’s not about him, it’s about others.”
Although his current business model nets a modest profit, Michael explains that his focus is not about money:
“I figured there was an easy way to make a business out of something you are passionate about. I knew I was more fortunate than others, so I wanted to give back. I know a cupcake isn’t going to solve hunger, but everyone deserves something sweet.”
Michael passion for baking actually derives from turning a limitation into fuel to push forward, when his family discovered that he was diagnosed with epilepsy—a condition which caused him to be home-schooled.
His mother, Danita Platt, believes that baking is what helped her son cope with his diagnosis in the most uplifting way possible:
“I have no scientific evidence, but baking has been something he could really zone in on and pull all his mental faculties. He could stand and bake for hours. What I have come to realize through this is all, you just never realize what all is in someone. I think baking came at the right time for him. The epilepsy didn’t encroach on it, and he was good at it.”
Michael’s love for baking can be credited to his grandmother, who he says, “allowed me to help bake a cake for a family gathering one time, I just really liked it, and I fell in love with it overnight.”
Michael’s entrepreneurial spirit, passion for giving back and pure baking talent caught the attention of TV—and he was featured on Food Network’s Kids Baking Championship a few years ago.
As for how you can get your hands (or in this case, your lips) on one of Michael’s in-demand cupcakes—well all you have to do is head over to Facebook and the Michaels Desserts website.
Additionally, Michael teaches baking classes where students are encouraged to donate $30 each, through a partnership with food inequality nonprofit No Kid Hungry. Michaels also has regular bake sales, giving all the proceeds to the charity and other similar groups.
Michael says he lives by the simple Platt family motto, “You’re not going to solve hunger just from the Platt household, but you can make a dent.”
Let’s salute this young king to continue on his journey!
Roommates, what do you think about young Michael Platt?
