EAT CAKE, Milly's Birthday Box Project
As Milly planned her Sweet 16 celebration, she realized something heartbreaking: there are children her age—and individuals of all ages—across Mississippi who have never had a birthday cake, never blown out candles, and never been celebrated on their special day. Milly decided she wanted to change that. At just 16 years old, she is already making a difference in the lives of others. Through the Milly Addison Birthday Box Project, Milly is collecting the supplies needed to create complete birthday celebration kits that will be distributed through Extra Table FEEDS' network of partner food pantries across Mississippi. Her goal is simple: to remind people that they matter and that they are worth celebrating!
Milly's family has long been involved with Extra Table FEEDS, a Mississippi nonprofit food bank committed to providing quality, nutritious food to food pantries across the state. But Extra Table FEEDS has always believed that the food it delivers represents more than nourishment. Extra Table FEEDS food offers dignity, respect, and hope for a better tomorrow. A birthday cake does exactly the same thing! It tells someone they are valued. It creates a memory. It turns an ordinary day into a celebration and reminds a child—or an adult—that they matter.
Each EAT CAKE Birthday Box will contain everything needed to create a special birthday moment: cake mix, icing, sprinkles, candles, a birthday card, and a cake pan. The box also includes a can of Sprite, which serves as a substitute for eggs and oil in the cake mix. By simply combining the cake mix and Sprite, families can bake a birthday cake without needing any additional ingredients.
Why EAT CAKE?
The phrase “Let Them Eat Cake” is famously linked to Marie Antoinette, though historians are not certain she ever said it. For the EAT CAKE Birthday Box Project, we are reclaiming the phrase with new meaning. For Milly, “Eat Cake” is not about excess—Milly’s EAT CAKE Birthday Box Project will make a celebration accessible for everyone, regardless of their circumstances.
It is time for all our neighbors to blow out the candles, make a wish, and enjoy a birthday cake! Everyone deserves to be celebrated!
Milly's goal is to provide 100 EAT CAKE Birthday Boxes to each of Extra Table FEEDS' partner food pantries across the state. Throughout the year, Milly, her friends, and other teens from across Mississippi will host Birthday Box packing parties to assemble and prepare the kits for distribution.
Meet Milly Addison
Milly Addison is a student at Tupelo High School who recently celebrated her own Sweet 16. If you know Milly, you know she has a heart for making others feel seen, appreciated, and included. She believes even the smallest act of kindness can make a lasting impact. Through this project, Milly hopes to bring joy, dignity, and celebration to families across Mississippi.
Milly has some pretty incredible parents, too – Emily and Michael Addison of Tupelo.
Now, let them eat cake! 🎂
MAKE A DONATION OR GO SHOPPING AND SHIP IT TO US!
To support the Milly’s EAT CAKE Birthday Box Project, you can make a monetary donation or purchase supplies directly from Milly's Amazon Wish List. Every gift helps place more than a cake on a table—it places hope, joy, and Milly’s message is made loud and clear - every person is worthy of celebration!
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