The Internet Did Something Incredible For A Woman Whose Bakery Was Vandalized in Ferguson Riots

Thought I would share this heartwarming story about a small bakery that was vandalized in Ferguson.

Like many other small businesses, her bakery Natalie’s Cakes and More was vandalized Monday night
Despite the mess, however, Dubose says she will continue to bake. She can’t afford to give up now, having invested all she had into a business that was funded through bake sales at flea markets.

Owner Natalie Dubose, a single mother of two who had spent all her life savings to open this bakery in June, was understandably distraught. However, something really incredible happened to her when she turned to the Internet for help.

“I'm baking today," Dubose told CNNMoney, a day after the violence erupted on Monday. "We have orders to go out for Thanksgiving. I can't tell the people -- I won't tell the people -- that I'm canceling.”

“I am a single mom, a mother of two," she added. "This is everything that I own. I can't walk away from it. I just got to start up and start baking again."

Upon learning Dubose’s dream shop was vandalized and how she was determined to complete pending Thanksgiving orders, her neighbors and some local residents came to her support.

Subsequently, not one but two GoFundMe campaigns were posted on Tuesday to help Dubose raise money to repair her shop. Donations flowed in and within a matter of hours both the pages surpassed the goal of raising $20,000.

“I'm overwhelmed by the amazing generosity I'm receiving,” Dubose stated on the crowd funding website. “The love, attention, support, the many, many people stopping by to say hello, the offers of assistance, the letters, the anonymous donations, the lovely letters, flowers, telephone calls, media support, and the support of the people of Ferguson.”

The separate GoFundMe pages have now been merged into one and at the time of writing this post, around $203,845 had been raised by thousands of people. Well-wishers are also leaving messages of support on the bakery’s official Facebook account.

Kudos to all who helped this lady! I'm sure many families are sitting down to enjoy Natalie's cakes this Thanksgiving largely due to the kindness and support she received from so many wonderful people.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!



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I followed her story and I'm so glad people helped her. She's great and I feel a leader in her community! It restored my faith in common man to see this happen.

It is very good to see people helping others. I do not care what the motives were for people's donations, as I'm sure some were shallow. The important thing is that this woman who was victimized received aid from others who sympathized her situation. She didn't shoot that guy, she wasn't on the grand jury, she doesn't deserve to suffer. Cheers, supporters.

This is indeed a lovely outpouring of love and well wishing for this lovely lady.

My heart is overflowing for her and all those who came to her aid and assistance.

a reply to: MrLimpet


Stories like this are what build a good society. All we normally hear and read is the terrible hateful things going on in the world. This over time and generations becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. Hate in hate out......Hate in hate out. Rinse and repeat and here we are.



Stories of faith and inspiration is the key.

It is terrible all these businesses that have been burned or suffered vandalism. The hard work that these people have had to endure to get their businesses up and running only to see such destruction. I feel for them a lot and hope that all the desputes get resolved soon so that people in Ferguson can move on in their daily lives. It seems unfair that innocent people should suffer the consequences for what has occured.

Thanks op for the heartwarming story. My heart goes out to people at this time.

casting pearls before swine, comes to mind.
it`s nice that people are helping her but the thugs will just wreck the place again the next time another "innocent kid" is shot by the police.

a reply to: MrLimpet

Great story S&F !

I hope they can help some more victims with the extra raised money.

a reply to: MrLimpet

Great story S&F!
good to see people helping people instead of constant hate porn.

originally posted by: Tardacus
casting pearls before swine, comes to mind.
it`s nice that people are helping her but the thugs will just wreck the place again the next time another "innocent kid" is shot by the police.

Happy Thanksgiving to you, too, Tardacus.

a reply to: MrLimpet

That's an awesome story. Thank you for find it and sharing it with us today, Mr. Limpet. It's always good to be reminded that there are plenty of good and caring people out there in the world. Definitely thankful for all of them.

Yes unfortunate. Thugs came out. Not because of the kid. Innocent or not. Protests happened because of that. Violence erupted as a response to over reaction to the protests by the police. Pepper spaying everyone, press included. Arresting and beating up protesters. It was peaceful most every time until the police escalated it. Though there will always be a few bad seeds. Arrest them, punish them not everyone. a reply to: Tardacus

The kindness of all those Americans has made my day, not a 'black Friday' for that lovely lady, I hope she prospers and employs more people.

People do give freely and help others in need! Great story, thank you for sharing

originally posted by: Tardacus
casting pearls before swine, comes to mind.
it`s nice that people are helping her but the thugs will just wreck the place again the next time another "innocent kid" is shot by the police.

He was not so incident according to a grand jury.

Props to those who rose above the anger and supported this woman.

a reply to: MrLimpet

any pics of the damage?

what was the extent of the damage to her shop?

a reply to: Thurisaz

A few videos show some of the damage...

Thanksgiving is looking up for Natalie Dubose, the Ferguson entrepreneur whose bakery was trashed by rowdy protesters overnight Monday. Dubose owns Natalie’s Cakes and More, and has raised more than $84,000 since creating a crowdfunding page Tuesday afternoon to rebuild her business.

“I am just so grateful for all the love and support that’s been showed to me,” she told CNNMoney after learning that another $30,000 had been added to the site since the last time she checked. (She was too busy baking to monitor it.) “I think I cried so much, I shouldn’t have any more tears,” she said.

Dubose, a single mother of two children, just opened for business in June and raised her start up funds through bake sales at flea markets. She said she put everything she had into the bakery, and was devastated to discover that vandals had smashed in her shop windows during violent protests in the Missouri city of a grand jury’s decision to not charge police officer Darren Wilson for fatally shooting Michael Brown. One window was “completely destroyed,” she said. Broken glass was scattered throughout the front of her shop, contaminating much of her supplies and packaging.

But she started baking anyway on Tuesday morning, partly because she didn’t want to let down customers with Thanksgiving orders, and partly because she couldn’t afford to cancel the work. Good Samaritans stopped by throughout the day, helping to clean up the glass and board up the windows. “Now the front of my shop is decent,” she said. She also got a call from a woman who wanted to donate money, and who instructed her on how to set up a page on GoFundMe, a popular crowdfunding site. “I never ever heard of a GoFundMe,” she said, adding she never would have expected so much in donations, especially in such a short amount of time.

As the clock counted down to Thanksgiving, she kept the oven busy with apple, pumpkin, blue berry, cherry and caramel apple pies, plus pound, caramel, cinnamon raisin pound, strawberry short and split lemon cakes. Dubose said she has been emotionally overwhelmed by the way people have treated her, first by the damage done to her shop, and then by the outpouring of support. “I guess that’s why I was so hurt with the damage that was done to the place, because I genuinely love people,” she said.

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The generosity of many Americans knows no bounds!

I hope she opens her shop in a different neighborhood. Obviously her own neighbors turned street thug and didn't give a rats backend about her.

originally posted by: BadwolfBratton
It is very good to see people helping others. I do not care what the motives were for people's donations, as I'm sure some were shallow. :

Obviously you are concerned or you wouldn't have made that statement. People give from their heart and this is a wonderful story of how people come together and help each other without any government intervention. This is what makes America great!

just wondering if all the other businesses that got vandalized will get support as well..? or is this the only business that actually got vandalized in the riot?

a reply to: Komodo

This site lists over 100 businesses that were damaged.

Here are a list of businesses known at this time that have suffered loss due to the riots in Ferguson, MO.

If you feel compelled to help them, here are the addresses. Send a check, spend money with them when they reopen, and if they are a national or regional chain, go shop with them in your own city.

Yes, these businesses may have insurance, but don’t think they aren’t paying the price. Behind the flames and broken glass is a business owner or general manager left to pick up the pieces.

The situation is still very fluid right now, so my information may be incorrect or incomplete. Please contact me with updates, photos, addresses or other additions. The St. Louis Regional Business Council has also launched a fund to support proprietors who have been affected by the riots.

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