Michael Platt, a 13-year-old who lives in Washington, D.C., started his own bakery called Michael's Desserts.
The bakery operates on a one-for-one donation model, meaning that for every cupcake sold he donates one to the homeless.
The teen bakes all sorts of things, but cupcakes are his biggest seller, he told the Washington Post.
As a child, Michael Platt loved to bake.
And when he turned 11, the Bowie, Maryland, resident turned his passion into a business and founded Michael's Desserts, as the Washington Post reported.
The bakery operates on a one-for-one donation model, meaning that for every cupcake sold he donates one to the homeless, according to WJLA. He makes donation batches about once a month, he told the outlet.
Platt explained that it is important to him that his business has a philanthropic component.
"I knew that I wanted to make a business, but I knew I didn't just want to make money, I also wanted to help people at the same time," he told WJLA.
Michael's Desserts partnered with No Kid Hungry, which is a nonprofit that provides meals, hosts educational programming, and advocates on behalf of children.
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In the last two years, Platt's business has grown.
The teen bakes everything from cookies to cupcakes, according to the Washington Post. He told the newspaper that each month he sells about 12 cookies, 75 cupcakes, and 12 rotating "chef's choice" items, which he also calls "freedom fighter cupcakes."
Every month the teen draws inspiration from a different historical figure and bases the"chef's choice" flavor on that person. Past honorees have included Harriet Tubman and Martin Luther King Jr, who inspired the business, according to the Washington Post.
Cupcakes, in general, are by far his biggest seller — and a four-pack sells for $15, according to the newspaper. Platt, who is home-schooled, has gotten help and support from his mom, who he calls his "baking consultant."
He's grateful for all the support — and for all the orders people have put in. Most of which are placed by strangers.
"I always wanted to have a purpose for what I do," he told the Washington Post. "It's all about helping people — not just having a purpose for yourself, but thinking about, 'How does this touch other things?'"
