Lincoln County Bakers Raise Awareness For Foster Care

Mix the wonderful aroma in Linet Navarro's house with the natural goodness of the ladies inside, and you get a strong hunger to help.

Twelve volunteers known as the 'Lincoln County Bakers' have found a sweet spot for serving children in the county's foster care system.

Navarro coordinates the group's effort to bake elaborate cakes to celebrate each time a child gets a forever home. Oklahoma Department of Human Services awarded the group who makes about 25 cakes a month.

"A lot of foster kids have never ever received a cake, a personal cake, so it is a way to say you're special and that someone is thinking about you," said Navarro

They never get to meet the kids who will receive their cakes. DHS provides them with the child's gender, birthday, and interest. The rest is created out of imagination.

"I put more details in the foster cakes than any other cake, because I want it to be very special for them," Judy Bukowski said.

Bukowski told News 9 she can't imagine how the children feel to be in such a situation. Some bakers have an understanding; Rebecca Osburn adopted her daughter.

"It is close to our hearts," she said.

The bakers pour their own time, money and hearts into each design.

"It's a sense of satisfaction you are getting from knowing a child is going to get a cake. That alone is what I do it for," said Shannon Lewis.

During the month of November, Adoption Month, DHS is encouraging more people to get involved in adoptions. On any given day in Oklahoma, there are about 11,000 children in state custody. And there were 1,362 adoptions last year, but it's not enough. The state is in need of more adoptive parents.

"There is a critical need for [adoption] for older children in the system," said Mark Beutler, OKDHS spokesperson.

Beutler said there is plenty of reason to celebrate each time a child gets a forever home, and the work of the Lincoln County Bakers just makes it that much sweeter.

"Our secret ingredient is a lot of love... and a lot of passion for kids," said Osburn.

Email the Lincoln County Bakers to find out how you can help.

Read more for information on adoptions.