Pastry Chef Makes Treat Boxes For Coronavirus Front-Line Workers

NORTHERN VIRGINIA — A local pastry chef is making sweet treats for health care workers and first responders who are on the front lines of the coronavirus crisis. Farozan Jivraj, owner of Cupcake Novelties, has delivered treat boxes to nurses at Inova Fairfax Hospital, Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center, Fort Belvoir Community Hospital and other places where workers are putting their lives on the line to help others.

"I really wanted to do something to show appreciation for these hard-working individuals who are putting themselves on the front lines for the rest of the community and working with so much passion and dedication," Jivraj told Patch.

Altogether, Jivraj has delivered 22 boxes of treats to these workers as part of her #TreatsForFrontliners campaign. When she goes out on delivery, Jivraj usually meets her point of contact in the parking lot of the hospital or medical building, which are closed to the general public.

Nurses have sent emails to express their appreciation for the cupcakes and brownies, with one group letting Jivraj know the treats brought "some sunshine and positivity in their day."

Jivraj, who works out of a prviate work studio in the Fair Lakes area, donated the first batch of 10 treat boxes to nurses. The boxes contained a variety of treats, including vanilla and chocolate strawberry cupcakes, Snickerdoodle Brownies, Oreo Jewels and Rainbow Pretzel Bark.

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Jivraj, who founded Cupcake Novelties nine years ago, said she "loves supporting social and community causes" through her business.

She is holding a TreatsForFrontliners GoFundMe campaign to raise money that will be used to make cupcakes, cookies and other dessert items for workers. All of the money raised in the campaign goes toward the treats for the front-line workers.

In times when there's not a pandemic, Jivraj creates custom handcrafted desserts, dessert tables and party favors for special occasions ranging from corporate events to birthdays, baby showers, weddings, bridal showers and other events.

Because much of her business is event-based, the coronavirus has forced Cupcake Novelties to give refunds to certain customers who pre-ordered cupcakes, desserts and favors for weddings and other events. Other customers have simply postponed their events, with the hope that Jivraj will be able to make a cake or other dessert item when the event gets rescheduled.

For the time being, Jivraj has adjusted her business model by focusing on desserts that can be picked up locally or shipped anywhere in the U.S. For example, she has DIY Cookie Decorating Boxes that customers can order as a fun family indoor activity during the crisis. She has already received 30 orders to ship the DIY boxes across the country. The cookies come in a wide range of shapes and themes.

Cupcake Novelties also has created a special item for Teacher Appreciation Week — the week of May 4. The treats can be ordered on the Cupcake Novelties website and then shipped to teachers’ homes as a surprise.

To contribute to #TreatsForFrontliners and help brighten a health care worker or first responder's day, visit Jivraj's GoFundMe page.

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