The Sophie Fund

Ithaca’s Best Cupcakes 2025

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Hailey Ayres won 1st Place and the Grand Prize with her “Pumpkin Spice & Everything Nice Cupcakes” in the 10th Annual Ithaca Cupcake Baking Contest organized by The Sophie Fund on October 18.

Hailey Ayres’s award-winning “Pumpkin Spice & Everything Nice Cupcakes”

Her pumpkin cakes were filled with fluffy pumpkin mousse topped by a cream cheese frosting, caramel drizzle, and cinnamon flakes for a “baker’s touch.” Ayres said her goal was to create a “refreshing and nostalgic Fall treat.”

“When I think of baking, I think of cooler Fall temps and that leads me to the Fall flavors all around,” Ayres said, adding, “I find baking as a release to my anxiety.” She said she volunteers with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to “fight for mental health for my community, my family, and myself.”

1st Place Awardee Hailey Ayres

Kyra O’Toole took 2nd Place with her “Fall Forest Cupcakes,” an entremets-style dessert with a pumpkin-spice financier base, filled with layers of milk chocolate feuilletine, dark chocolate maple/bourbon ganache, pumpkin/ginger gelee, praline mousse, topped with maple Chantilly cream. Her magical forest was created with modeling chocolate, crumbled chocolate cookies (soil), honey sponge cake (green moss), and gelatin (fairy wings).

“Baking is my safe space,” O’Toole said. “I enjoy the creativity and artistry that goes into it. At first, I didn’t have an idea for these. It kind of just came to me. The design is representative of things that make me happy.”

Kyra O’Toole’s “Fall Forest Cupcakes.”

The judges awarded Kate Bagnell 3rd Place for her “Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes,” vanilla cake with a cinnamon swirl, a brown sugar cinnamon buttercream center, and a tangy cream cheese frosting topped with a miniature cinnamon roll “as an added bonus.”

Bagnell certainly takes the cake when it comes to her cupcake inspiration. She fondly describes cinnamon rolls as an “ooey gooey center burning with molten sugar and warm spice… Christmas morning breakfast table with sweet music and warm laughter… a calm, soft cinna-sanctuary within a loud, bustling airport.”

Kate Bagnell’s “Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes”

Josie Bower received the Youth Award for their “Pumpkin Spice Ghost Cupcakes,” a moist pumpkin spice cake with sweet cream cheese frosting fashioned into ghosts. Just in time for Halloween!

Josie Bower’s “Pumpkin Spice Ghost Cupcakes”

The Sophie Fund announced a “Lifetime Achievement Award” for Aušra Milano in recognition of her outstanding contest submissions since the contest began in 2016. Said contest Emcee Gabriella da Silva Carr: “One year, Aušra submitted brown butter carrot cupcakes—her favorite—with a message that reflects the true spirit of the Ithaca cupcake baking contest: ‘Simple, humble cupcakes, nothing too fancy, pure comfort and love.’”

Full List of 2025 Ithaca Cupcake Baking Contest Winners

Twenty-five bakers entered the contest this year bringing a range of themes including: grandmothers; fathers; Taughannock Falls; Hispanic heritage; Harry Potter; volcanic Mount Merapi; U.S. Marines; sticky rice; apple pie; Almond Joy; S’mores; Champagne bubbly; Mexican and indigenous flavors; Dubai Chocolate; diversity, love, and acceptance; and (of course, since it’s late October) Halloween.

Judging the finalists were professionals from Ithaca’s culinary community, Via Carpenter, of Via’s Cookies, Yuko Jingu, of Akemi Food, Melissa Kenny, of Sweet Melissa’s Ice Cream Shop, Ashley Case, of Case Sera Sera, and Ania Grodzinski of Ania’s Confections.

The Awards Ceremony was hosted by Carr and Ben Sandberg, and the event featured live musical performances by Joe Gibson and Rachel Beverly.

This year’s contest also featured a Cupcake Decorating Workshop with pastry chefs from Wegmans, and “10 Years of Ithaca Cupcakes!,” a photo exhibition of entries to the annual cupcake contest from 2016 to 2024.

The 10th Annual Ithaca Cupcake Baking Contest at the Bernie Milton Pavilion in the Ithaca Commons was sponsored by Visions Federal Credit Union, Cayuga Health, Wegmans, Well Said Media, and Maguire. All awardees received Downtown Ithaca Alliance gift cards accepted by more than 100 local shops and restaurants.

The contest was produced by Cara Nichols of CRN Events.

Volunteers from student organizations at Cornell University supported the contest: Alpha Phi Omega, Cornell Circle K, PATCH (Pre-Professional Association Toward Careers in Health), RISEUP Cornell, and Hotel Graduate Student Organization.

Numerous mental health organizations staged a Wellness Fair on the sidelines of the contest. They included: Suicide Prevention & Crisis Service; American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Greater Central New York; Mental Health Association in Tompkins County; National Alliance on Mental Illness Finger Lakes; Advocacy Center of Tompkins County, Tompkins County Bullying Prevention Task Force, Cayuga Addiction Recovery Services, Ithaca Welcomes Refugees, and Be Kind Ithaca and Free Hugs Ithaca.

The contest is organized every year by The Sophie Fund, which was established in 2016 in memory of Cornell University fine arts student Sophie Hack MacLeod to support mental health initiatives aiding young people. Sophie’s passion for baking cupcakes inspired the launch of the first Ithaca Cupcake Baking Contest in 2016. At the time of her death by suicide at age 23, Sophie was on a health leave of absence from Cornell and active in Ithaca’s culinary scene.

1st Place and Grand Prize ($250): Hailey Ayres

2nd Place ($150): Kyra O’Toole

3rd Place ($100): Kate Bagnell

Youth Award ($100): Josie Bower

Lifetime Achievement Award ($250): Aušra Milano

Mental Health Guide for Tompkins Schools

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Five Ithaca-based mental health organizations have released the 2025-26 edition of their resource guide, “Mental Health Support & Suicide Prevention for Schools in Tompkins County.”

If you have a comment, concern, or suggestion about mental health in Tompkins schools, please feel free to email it to The Sophie Fund: thesophiefund2016@gmail.com.

National and local surveys document the seriousness of a mental health crisis affecting young people. In a survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 40 percent of high schoolers said they experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness. Twenty-nine percent reported poor mental health, and 20 percent said they had considered taking their own lives.

A survey of high school and middle school students in Tompkins County came up with similar patterns. Forty-seven percent said they felt anxious or worried on most days, 35 percent felt sad or depressed on most days, and 34 percent said that “sometimes I think life is not worth it.”

To support Tompkins County schools, the resources guide was first launched in 2024 by the Suicide Prevention & Crisis Service of Tompkins County, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Greater Central New York, National Alliance on Mental Illness Finger Lakes, Mental Health Association in Tompkins County, and The Sophie Fund.

“For our school personnel, this can be a hearty quick reference guide with options that can be tailored to a student’s needs—or a fellow colleague’s needs,” said Tiffany Bloss, executive director of the Suicide Prevention & Crisis Service.

“There are many opportunities for no-cost trainings to enhance the comfort level and confidence in talking to someone else about their mental health.”

After a brief “Mental Health & Suicide Prevention 101” introduction, the guide details the mental health and suicide prevention education and training that the organizations are ready to present to Tompkins school administrators, teachers, students, and parents.

DOWNLOAD: Mental Health Support & Suicide Prevention for Schools in Tompkins County

The guide compiles handbooks and toolkits to assist Tompkins schools in developing mental health promotion and bullying prevention programming as well as suicide prevention strategies in their school communities. The guide points to recommendations for youth use of social media issued by the U.S. Surgeon General and the American Psychological Association.

“Tompkins County’s mental health nonprofits offer beneficial mental health programs designed for students, teachers, and parents,” said Sandra Sorensen, executive director of NAMI Finger Lakes. “Bridging the gap in education and community services is important to all of us. We already have great evidence-based programs designed and ready to go at no cost to our schools. The guide outlines all of our programs and highlights our collaborative nature. We are here to serve and assist.”

The guide also includes 5 Simple Steps, a downloadable “safety plan” young people (or adults) can consult if they are feeling overwhelmed with a deteriorating mood.

DOWNLOAD: 5 Simple Steps

The five organizations requested an opportunity to meet directly with the Tompkins County school superintendents and their leadership teams to provide a presentation on the support services available and respond to any concerns or questions they may have. The organizations have met with the Ithaca and Trumansburg districts, but Lansing, Groton, Dryden, and Newfield have not scheduled a meeting.

If you or someone you know feels the need to speak with a mental health professional, you can call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 9-8-8, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741-741.

April Is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month

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The Cornell University student organization RISEUP and The Sophie Fund on April 1 launched a social media campaign to promote Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month.

Throughout April, the organizations are posting infographics on their social media platforms about resources to contact for help, behaviors to recognize, plans of action, general statistics about sexual assault, and more.

“Sexual assault is not only very prevalent, but extremely underreported,” said Harmony Guan ’28, head of RISEUP’S mental health committee. “By spreading awareness of the long-lasting impacts of sexual assault, we aim to reduce the widespread stigma and encourage victims to report assaults and feel comfortable enough to share their stories.”

The campaign highlights that sexual violence affects hundreds of thousands of Americans each year. According to RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), an American is sexually assaulted every 68 seconds, and every nine minutes if that victim is a child.

One out of every six American women and one out of every 33 American men have been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime, RAINN reports.

Sexual violence on college campuses is pervasive, with female students at three times greater risk of assault than women in the general population. According to RAINN, 13 percent of all college students experience rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence, or incapacitation. Among undergraduate women alone, the figure is 26.4 percent.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that sexual violence impacts health in many ways and can lead to short and long-term physical and mental health problems.

Guan said that RISEUP, an acronym for Realizing Integration, Support, and Education for Underserved Populations, believes that it is important to discuss how the barriers of accessing help for sexual assault survivors disproportionately affects certain communities.

She said the campaign highlights communities that face difficulties in receiving the help they need, advancing a clearer understanding of the aspects of the healthcare system that need improvement.

Click here to follow the campaign on RISEUP’s Instagram, or here to follow on The Sophie Fund’s Instagram or Facebook page.

Check out the Sophie Fund’s Sexual Assault page: National, state, and local resources to learn about sexual assault and how to deal with it.

Fundraising to Support Healthcare for All

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The Sophie Fund’s 2024 “Cupcake Button” fundraising campaign collected $1,055.00 for the Ithaca Free Clinic.

The campaign was spearheaded by several Cornell University student organizations: Cornell Circle K; Pre-Professional Association Towards Careers in Health (PATCH); Alpha Phi Omega Gamma Chapter (APO); and Cornell Minds Matter.

Leah Goddard, Scott MacLeod, Hunter Leach

At a luncheon at the Statler Hotel on March 21, Circle K Co-Presidents Leah Goddard and Hunter Leach delivered a check for the Ithaca Free Clinic.

“Circle K was proud to support the Ithaca Free Clinic through the Sophie Fund fundraiser. Our Halloween-themed sugar cookie and apple cider sale brought our club together for a meaningful cause,” said Goddard.

“We’re especially thankful for the opportunity to contribute to the Free Clinic’s mission of providing compassionate, accessible healthcare, and we look forward to supporting this important work for years to come,” added Leach.

Click here to make a donation to the Ithaca Free Clinic

“Many thanks to The Sophie Fund and the Cornell students for raising such a sizable contribution! We are so grateful for your support!” said Ithaca Free Clinic Executive Director Norbert McCloskey.

The Ithaca Free Clinic provides medical and other health services to clients regardless of their ability to pay. It primarily serves individuals who are without health insurance, or whose health insurance does not cover the services they need.

According to McCloskey, the Free Clinic provides healthcare services to people who earn too much to be eligible for Medicaid, are too young to be eligible for Medicare, and do not earn nearly enough to afford usable, low copay and low deductible health insurance plans available through the Affordable Care Act’s Market Place.

In the first eight months of 2024, the Free Clinic provided free health care services to 671 individuals (438 female patients and 233 male patients) in 1,269 scheduled appointments.

Representatives from PATCH, Cornell Circle K, Alpha Phi Omega, and Cornell Minds Matter

“PATCH is deeply committed to supporting equitable healthcare, so raising money for the Ithaca Free Clinic was incredibly meaningful to us,” said Lily Ehsan, PATCH’s community service co-chair.

 “As future healthcare professionals, we’re proud to contribute to an organization that provides essential care to our local community regardless of income or insurance status. It was inspiring to see so many Cornell students come together in support of such an important cause.”

The Ithaca Free Clinic receives no federal or state financial funding, completely relying on community support in the form of monetary donations, in-kind donations, and the generous donation of the time and talent of its volunteers.

It opened in 2006 as one of the first to offer both primary medical and holistic care through an integrated model. The Ithaca Health Alliance is a 501(c)3 organization that sponsors and operates the Ithaca Free Clinic. The Alliance has been dedicated to seeking solutions to local healthcare challenges since 1997.

The Sophie Fund organizes the Cupcake Button campaign and the related Annual Ithaca Cupcake Baking Contest each fall to promote mental health awareness and raise monies for local nonprofits supporting community mental health. Donors receive a Cupcake Button featuring the image of a cupcake created by Sophie Hack MacLeod, a Cornell art student who died by suicide in 2016 for whom The Sophie Fund is named.

Scott MacLeod, co-founder of The Sophie Fund, expressed his appreciation to the Cornell student organizations for supporting the Ithaca Free Clinic.

“It is gratifying to see Cornell students stepping up to partner with community organizations. The Sophie Fund is proud to work alongside Cornell organizations to advance mental health not only on their campus but in the greater Ithaca community as well.

“In these challenging times, all of us were especially passionate to support the Ithaca Free Clinic, and Norb McCloskey and his team, true champions of healthcare.”

MacLeod said that since 2017 the Cupcake Button campaigns have raised a total of $7,667.66 for eight local nonprofits supporting mental health: Suicide Prevention & Crisis Service of Tompkins County; Mental Health Association in Tompkins County; Advocacy Center of Tompkins County; the Village at Ithaca; The Learning Web; NAMI-Finger Lakes; Family & Children’s Service of Ithaca; and the Ithaca Free Clinic.