They didnt really give me ideas for each girl. They cant even give me all the names of the girls until 2 or 3 days before because they come and go. But those are great ideas.

I will be on pins and needles waiting to hear from you and how it all went for you.

Well, I got my application, but when I tried to open it...it was all wonky, to say the least.

The .pdf newsletter was fine, but no matter how I tried to open the .doc, or whatever I used, it was unreadable. I sent an email back explaining the situation, so hopefully I will hear back soon.

In the meantime, I will watch for a Cake Central branch of FCFK on FB and keep reading this thread.

I would love to start helping, but don't see anyone in the Cincinnati area. I really don't have the time to start up a chapter...but I guess I could just do this on my own?

Saberger, I didn't know that you could just do this on your own like that, and here I am trying to start a chapter in my area, wish I knew that ahead of time, when I told them I wanted to start a chapter they put me on their main site, didn't even know they did it, until I went to the site and checked it out again, LOL...but I guess I was meant to start a chapter anyway.

I COULD be wrong, but I believe that the people listed on the main site have not all started a chapter. But a chapter is good! Go for it Brenda!!!

Thanks for the encouragement saberger....still so nervous in trying to pull this together, but will be nervous when I get that first phone call.....wonder where everyone else has been??? The ones that were first with us on this site??? Guess they are all so busy making their cakes, lol...I hope so anyway. Wish they would have sent me like a packet of some sorts of what you need to do , what is expected, what you are allowed to do, and not allowed to do, and do we deal with any of this at the end of the year with our taxes. which I don't think we do, not sure though. Stuff like that would have been appreciated, then I think most of all our questions would have been answered. All wrapped up in a nice little packet. Oh well, I guess for now this must be the best way for them to do it for us.

I agree about wishing we had a nice little packet. Certainly would be easier and more comforting to have something to refer back to. What are you still nervous about? Maybe I can help. I don't really think I am nervous....just excited and impatient.

Hhhmmm....that gives me an idea. Maybe I can gather everyone's questions and concerns, get answers, and then put it together in a pdf for future volunteers for Toni and Mischell. I like that idea. So start questioning away. I did post a bunch of answers to my questions (to Mischell) earlier in the post.

I guess just look back throught the posts and see what questions we all had, lets see.....How do I join?, What do I do next once they receive my application? How do I start a chapter? What if there aren't any chapters close to my area, what can/do I do? Do I need a website? Who do I contact to get started to make cakes for? What is the age limit on the kids? (That is decided by the chapter), I know that answer because I asked toni once. lol.....How do I know if someone calls me that they are need of a cake and not just trying to get a free cake? If someone makes a money donation what do I do? Do I have to do anything at the end of the year at tax time? I guess those would be a few places for questions to start for now. Do I deliver the cakes or do they pick them up? How big must a cake be? Does it have to be real fancy? What questions do I ask the person that is ordering the cake, is their a questionaire I can go by? Can not think of anymore right now. LOL..

oops! Forgot one, I have my stepmom and her friend to help me out with baking and covering an area where they live, and I needed to have them fill out an application also to send back into to Toni, so she knows who is working and baking with me. So that might want to be included in there somewhere too. Does this help at all?

great. Thanks Brenda. I will go through it later and put something together. Keep the questions coming.

That makes sense Brenda. From how I understood it, every volunteer that is making/delivering cakes will need to complete and submit an application.

I was thinking this would be handy anway, once people I don't know start volunteering. Help keep track of everyone and also have address to be able to send thank you cards/Christmas cards, etc.

I've been here...just not peeking in and not posting much because I was working on a hard cake this week.

I emailed Mischelle and asked for copies of all the forms I would need for the chapter. I received the receipt form (needs to be changed to appropriate chapter, a copy of her card, a full page flier that she uses (can be changed to fit your needs), a half page flier that she uses (can be changed to fit your needs), and the questionnaire to complete for the cake order.

If you need any of these let me know. I also asked her and Toni if there was anything else I needed to know - they both said generally that's it and to of course just ask if there were any questions or ideas.

I agree a Q&A would be helpful, both for the organization as a whole and for our chapters once they get busier and we have more people volunteering.

I can set up the Facebook help page today or tomorrow, if you all are still wanting to do that. Just give me input on what you want the name to be

Also, if you aren't a member of My Points (www.mypoints.com), you should join. You earn points for reading emails from advertisers (usually major companies) and get points for going through my points to shop on line. Some companies give more - overstock.com gives 10 points per every dollar. You cash the points in for gift certificates - there's a wide array of different places - even Wal-Mart and Target are on the list, so you can use your points for certificates to buy supplies and it would be a donation from yourself. We used to use ours at Christmas, but we've switched to using them for supplies for FCFK.

Yep, I will make copies for myself to keep, and send toni and them what they need. I have to get mine back from my stepmom and her friend yet. I saw on someones site for free cakes their questionaire, so I copied it for my own use, itsl like a order form I guess:
Contact Name___________
Contact Phone_________
Contact Email____________
Name of Child____________
Boy or Girl_________
Delivery Adrress_________________
Delivery Date Needed_______________
Age of Child on this birthday______
Number to Feed______
Prefer Cake or Cupcakes________
Favorite Flavor__________
Favorite Character__________
Favorite Color___________

These were such good questions I thought when we need to know info. for making a cake for a child. I printed my own little form up to use. and my own fliers, and my own introducing letter to send out with my flier to agencies, then follow up with a phone call.

Just an update at my end here, I went to our local Rite Aid drug store, to give one of the ladies there my flier incase she knew of anyone in need, got the thngs I needed, as I was checkout out, she said good luck, I thought she meant with free cakes, and I said oh you mean with my organization free cakes for kids? and she said that too, and there was this man standing in line and heard me and asked me what is was all about. so I did a quick run down, and asked me if I had a flier, so I asked the lady I just gave mine to that works there if he could have hers, and gave it to him, he told me the story of his sister that has a daughter or two daughters birthdays coming up, and how she is struggling to get a job and etc etc, come to find out there are 16 people living all together!!! 16!!! Thought to myself oh my goodness! and he said she could probably use my help, and asked me if I mind if he gives me a call, I said no go right a head, so I am waiting nervously for my first call. So I then ran some more fliers down to the lady I gave the first one to. That just goes to show you, talk about it out loud wherever you are and someone will hear you. LOL...that was my experience this weekend , just had to share.

Everyone has such great ideas. I love the facebook idea and the packet.

I am going to send some more emails out today. I still only have the one client so I am a little bummed about that.

Give it time mindy, we are all here to support you and each other. When it is meant to be it will happen, just believe that. The children and parents will find you somehow, someway. And they will be your "specail kids" to make their cake for, and only you will make that cake. At least you have a client already, that is a good start. just remember there are birthdays in every month and some child out is going to need a cake from you.

Thanks Brenda. I appreciate the pep-talk. I know they will come. I feel like we have a great thing and we just need to get it to the right people. I feel like I havent found that right person yet. I will though!!

You are welcome, you can do that to me when I need my pep talk, feel free to. Now remind me again, Who all did you let know or contact? I know around here they put in the newspaper around christmas time what they call "operation santa claus' for families that need help, I just haven't figured out who runs that operation yet to get a hold of them, I am thinking it is one of the places I sent and introduction letter with a flier too, but I am not sure. They put an article in the paper with the ages of the children and stuff, and if anyone wants to make any kind of donations to the family for christmas then they can. so that is another organization on my list. but first need to find out who runs it.

Brenda I have contacted. Alpah house (teen preg center) Resurrection House (teen preg) Salvation Army, Guradian Ad Litem, a few homeless shelters and a soup kitchen.

Who have you contacted?

I have contacted our Rescue Mission, Agape Family Shelter, and the Salvation Army, and of course the man standing in line at the drug store found me, lol...I had sent them all (except the drug store customer) a introduction letter and flier. Thought I would give them a call later in the week to make sure they received them , with this past monday being a holiday and all. As soon as I hear from someone at an agency or stranger I will let you know. There is a Bethany's Children home , but I think my daughter contacted them and they said they do their own cakes for birthdays, but I am not giving up on them, will contact them again with introduction letter and fllier and follow up phone call. And I told the agencies in my introduction letter if they knew of any other agencies that could benefit feel free to pass the information on, or know of a family themselves.

I will send some more out this week. And maybe make some follow-up calls.

On a wonderul note, I just went to our local grocery to pick up the cake servers they ordered for me and they gave me an entire box, 144 of them, now how great is that!!

That is wonderful!!! Way to go mindy!! See this is turning out to be pretty good after all, I am sure there will be ups and downs, but that is why we have our CC family here for encourgement and support. That is an awful of cake servers though, LOL....but I am sure you will be able to use them up or find a good use for them all. still wonderful though.

Yeah it is alot but we will use them all. Just called a place on my lunch break and she seemed really excited. Off to email her the flier.

Oh, now it is getting exciting again, let me know how you make out. Good Luck.

HEHE I will Brenda.

So excited received my business cards today!!! from vistaprint and they look wonderful!!

AHH I still need to do that. Brenda where do you plan to put them/give them out?

If I had them when I had sent out my fliers and introduction letter I would have attatched one to them, or if I am out like at the drug store the other day when that happended to me, I would have given one to that man that asked me about Free Cakes, and the lady I gave my flier to at the drug store would have given her one, to most anyone that you talk to about it or over hears you , hand it out. send to the organizations you would like to work with, they always keep business cards. Because they are much handier to throw in a wallet or purse. Or pin/tack them up somewhere , laundry mat, pizza places, clubs, fire company clubs etc, if they let you tack them up.