Depressed Cake Shop serves up smiles

LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) – Thursday, the Depressed Cake Shop served up homemade sweet treats to raise money for mental health resources and suicide prevention.

“It’s an epidemic. I mean, it’s a public health issue. It’s not a mental health issue,” said Shelby Davis, the event organizer.

Davis is a 911 dispatcher and she knows firsthand how prominent mental health issues are in the community.

“We are the first first responders,” continued Davis. “We take the calls. We hear the trauma.”

So, she brought the Depressed Cake Shop to her hometown of Lansing, hoping to raise money for the cause.

“It’s a pop-up that’s done to benefit local charities specifically focusing on mental health,” said Davis.

With some baking help from other dispatchers, Davis offered options of “Anxious Oreos”, “Frownie Brownies”, “Cake Sammies”, and more.

Many of the treats come in gray to symbolize the cloud that can cover someone’s life when they are dealing with a mental health struggle. But, much like mental health struggles, there’s more under the surface.

“They have a little pop of color to signify hope,” said Davis.

Hope—something Davis says is the focus of the Depressed Cake Shop.

“Where there’s cake there’s hope, and there’s always cake,” said Davis.

The money raised from the pop-up will go towards the Out of the Darkness Walk put on by the American Association of Suicide Prevention.

“The capital area first responders team is our top fundraiser for the walk,” said Liz Baker.

Liz Baker is the Chair of the walk and she says fundraising like this starts a conversation and makes it possible for the organization to offer important mental health resources for free.

“Something as simple as cookie fries can start a conversation about mental health that may not have started otherwise,” said Baker. “You’re not alone. This is not something that you have to do by yourself.”

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