Sweet Treats & Gifts that Give Back

Do you know what’s even better than giving someone a thoughtful gift? Choosing a gift that not only puts a smile on their face, but also gives back to a greater cause.

Our Story: Baking with a Purpose 

Sweet LaLa’s Bakery was opened with the purpose of giving back to the community. In 2014, partnered with JIFF–an organization dedicated to breaking the destructive cycle of juvenile crime through Christ-centered intervention–to contract for employment. Through our partnership with JIFF,  we baked thousands of cookies with the purpose of offering second chances, first-time job training and employment to more than 125 kids. 

In opening our brick-and-mortar store in 2019, we had the opportunity to expand our mission from “Make Change. Eat More Cookies” to “Make Life Sweeter.” This expansion included a curated line of custom-baked products sourced from social enterprises and local entrepreneurs to help share their stories of growth and community support while offering the best in local sweets. Our hope is that these partnerships support our partners’ abilities to employ the hard to employ and fund the programs they have created. 

Shop Sweet Treats & Gifts that Give Back

Wondering how you can help support our mission? Support our partners by purchasing these sweet treats and gifts that give back this holiday season.  

Thistle and Bee Granola, Honey and Soaps

With the mission of helping women survive prostitution and trafficking, Thistle & Bee offers women hope and healing through a holistic residential and therapeutic clinical program and employment in its social enterprise. All sweetly handcrafted by women survivors, Thistle and Bee’s granolas, honeys and soaps can be purchased from Sweet LaLa’s Bakery. 

Shepherd’s Haven Ornaments, Necklaces and Pottery

The Shepherd’s Haven Day Center offers men and women with special needs daily opportunities for personal growth, expressing creativity, exercise, Bible study and fun–all within a safe and loving environment. One way the men and women express their creativity is by hand-crafting ornaments, necklaces and pottery–all of which can be purchased at Sweet LaLa’s Bakery. 

Project Kind Keychains and Bracelets 

Project Kind is a jewelry and gift box company that employs individuals with autism and other differences with the hope of giving their employees a safe place to earn an income, meet new friends and socialize, and build their self confidence while stepping out into adulthood. Each bracelet, keychain or accessory is made by one of their crew members. Visit Sweet LaLa’s to shop their handcrafted jewelry! 

My Cup of Tea

My Cup of Tea offers the best of both worlds: a Memphis gift that gives back to the community! My Cup of Tea teaches women from the community who have limited knowledge and marginal exposure to home economics, parenting models, and employment valuable life skills such as, job readiness, cooking, sewing, gardening, and other domestic skills as needed or desired. Purchasing a box of tea from Sweet LaLa’s Bakery supports the My Cup of Tea women and their neighborhood. 

RE+NEW+ALL Candles

RE+NEW+ALL Candle is a social enterprise created to be a bridge between recovery and re-entry into a new life for sex trafficking survivors and those vulnerable to exploitation.  Made with only the highest quality soy wax and fragrances, RE+NEW+ALL Candles are the perfect way to bring incredible aromas into someone’s home while making an impact with your purchase. Each candle purchased from Sweet LaLa’s Bakery helps employ and empower more at risk women and survivors! 

All in all, our mission at Sweet LaLa’s Bakery is to see people thrive in employment and in life so we bake with purpose in mind and select partners who value working together to make our community strong. When we all work together, we rise together. Stop by the bakery to shop these gifts that give back or visit our website to shop gift boxes filled with these goodies!