Where It All Began
A story rooted in family, resilience, and the belief that food can bring comfort, care, and connection.
The Story
Ember & Whisk was built on a simple but powerful belief: food can do more than nourish. It can comfort. It can connect. And in the moments that matter most, it can help people feel seen.
Our story begins with Caitlyn, Phoenix’s mother. At just three years old, she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, a life-threatening illness that required immediate and intensive treatment. During that season, our family experienced the impact of community support firsthand, including support from the Make-A-Wish Foundation. This experience shaped how we understand compassion, care, and the importance of showing up for others.
In moments like that, food becomes more than something to eat. It becomes a small source of steadiness, a way to bring comfort into hard days, and a reminder that someone is not alone.
Years later, Phoenix carried that legacy forward — turning a family story of resilience into a small-batch bakery rooted in comfort, service, and hope. Inspired by her mother’s story and driven by a deep desire to give back, Phoenix began baking to bring comfort to others. What started as a small-batch passion quickly grew into something larger: Ember & Whisk, Home of The Hope In Every Bite Initiative.
A Legacy of Hope
Long before Ember & Whisk, Cait and her mom, Tami, were already part of a larger story of hope. In 1996, they participated in a Children’s Miracle Network telethon supporting children facing severe illness through the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.
That experience shaped our family’s understanding of comfort, community, and care. It is part of the reason Hope In Every Bite is more than a phrase to us — it is personal.
Caitlyn and her Mom, Tami, featured during the Weekend of Champions, supporting children fighting severe illness.
Even as a child, Cait’s story became part of something bigger — helping raise support for other children and families.
Caitlyn in recovery with black kitten
Small moments of joy during recovery — a reminder that comfort often comes in simple, tender ways.
Click the image to view the full letter
A letter from Children’s Miracle Network recognizing Cait and Tami’s participation in the 1996 telethon.
The Children’s Miracle Network later shared that the telethon raised nearly $1 million to support pediatric services, research, and care for children treated at University
From Caitlyn’s Story to Phoenix’s Mission
This is where the story comes full circle. Caitlyn’s journey taught our family what hope can mean during hard seasons. Phoenix now carries that legacy forward, one small-batch cookie and one act of kindness at a time.
Phoenix grew up knowing that food can be more than something sweet. It can be comfort. It can be care. It can be a reminder that someone is thinking of you.
That is the heart behind Ember & Whisk. Every cookie connects back to the same message: there is hope here, and you are not alone.
Phoenix and Caitlyn — a family story of resilience carried forward through cookies, community, and Hope In Every Bite.
What We Stand For
Quality Matters
Every product is made in small batches with attention to detail, consistency, and care.
Food Is Connection
The best moments are shared, and food has a way of bringing people together in meaningful and lasting ways.
Purpose Is Built In
We do not separate what we make from why we make it. Our mission is part of every batch.
Built on Purpose
Ember & Whisk is not just about what we bake. It is about what our products represent. Through our Hope In Every Bite Initiative, every drop and every batch connects back to a larger mission: using food as a vehicle to nourish, comfort, and uplift the communities around us.
Just Getting Started
What began as a small-batch operation is only the beginning. As Ember & Whisk grows, so does our ability to serve more people, reach more communities, and expand the impact behind every product we create.
Every cookie we bake carries the same message:
- You matter
- You are seen
- There is hope here