Little things mean a lot. Little things like cupcakes, for instance. Particularly those sold in a little place called Zoe's Cupcake Cafe in Teaneck. The mouthwatering miniature delicacies that grace the counter at this quaint cafe are certainly attractive to look at and tempting to taste, but beneath the frosting and the flavor, they pack a powerful philanthropic punch.

On the surface, Zoe's Cupcake Cafe could simply be considered a charitable venture, but it is really the outgrowth of a serendipitous synergy between two groups of women who instinctively believe in taking an ownership stake in the lives of women in need. Through a grant from the giving circle of Women United in Philanthropy (WUIP), Jane Fiedler and Miriam Bloom, Directors at Zoe's Place Inc., a Bergen County organization dedicated to helping teen moms and their children, were given the seed money to start a small business to provide a sustainable source of funding for the not-for-profit organization and employment opportunities for teen moms. The sweet shop is now up-and-running, and the story behind its inception speaks to a laudable philanthropic commitment to pooling resources.

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

When Maxine Frampton, a founding member of WUIP, first heard of the philanthropic trend of "giving circles," she knew she had found a means to make a difference. "The idea behind giving circles is, you and I are both going to make charitable contributions to something," she explains. "But, if we both pooled our money and donated to the same [cause], we could do so much more."

Frampton, along with friends Jennifer Borg and Ellie Ferdon, cultivated a group of 15 women to start a giving circle based in Bergen to promote and focus on the philanthropic power of women to effect change in the lives of Bergen women. "We did some research and found that women tend to give donations to whoever asks them," says Frampton. "The bigger question is 'are you leaving a mark on the world,' or 'are you now and again leaving a mitten on the mitten tree'?" She adds, "This circle is about collectively taking our own wealth, no matter how small, and changing our little corner of the world."

Thus, in 2005, WUIP was born and, from a core group of three, has since grown to 100 members strong. Frampton, the director of the circle, believes in the collective strength of a united front focused on philanthropy. "Now is the time for women to make collective investments and thereby make a greater impact," says Frampton. She embraces the notion that charity is giving from the heart, but philanthropy is an investment in bringing about change. Fueled with the combined funding strength of 100 women each donating $1,000 annually, and the shared vision to empower women in need, WUIP has already started changing lives.

Each spring, WUIP accepts grant applications from organizations in the community that serve women and assist them in establishing economic stability. Last year, WUIP considered 30 proposals from various local outreach organizations but Zoe's Cupcake Cafe stood out from the crowd.

"We went to the membership with several proposals, but there was something about this one," says Frampton. "It was entrepreneurial and generated revenue for [Zoe's Place], but it also promised employment for the girls so they could start a bank account, learn how to bake, learn about cafe management. What a brilliant idea."

COMMITTED TO THE CAUSE

The idea for Zoe's Cupcake Cafe was first conceived years ago when Fiedler visited a domestic violence shelter in Sussex County. "They had a small wreath shop on the property which generated funding for their shelter," says Fiedler. "I remember thinking, 'how cool is that?' and hoping for the opportunity to someday do the same -- to create a sustainable revenue stream, while doing something equally important like creating employment for the girls -- giving them a successful work experience, not just a paycheck." Along with Bloom, Fiedler submitted an application to WUIP to secure the seed money to open Zoe's Cupcake Cafe.

Since receiving the WUIP grant, Fiedler and Bloom have relinquished their roles with Zoe's Place and have dedicated their time and energy to the cafe. With the help of family members and donations from local businesses like Home Depot and Paramus Lighting, the cafe doors opened in May 2009. "Everything here has been rehabilitated and the work done by friends and family and volunteers," says Fiedler. "Without WUIP and the help of all the others, we knew we wouldn't be able to do this. It's about believing in people -- it's the whole package."

Fiedler and Bloom have experienced what they call "the positivity" that comes from having people in your corner who believe in you, and they are committed to paying it forward. After a few months, Fiedler and Bloom were able to hire two teens from Zoe's Place as employees at the cafe. "Our job is to help young women," says Bloom. "Give them a career they can be proud of. The positive ramifications of this can last a lifetime."

SWEET DREAMS

Lauren Everett dreams of becoming a teacher someday. Now that her younger child is 1 year old, she plans to go back to school next year and work toward her degree. Everett remembers warning Fiedler on her job interview at the Cupcake Cafe, "I don't bake, I burn." Despite her lack of experience, Everett was hired and has learned a lot from her pastry chef mentor, Nikki Trabulsi.

"On my first day, they had me icing 5,000 cupcakes," says Everett. "Nikki shows me first and then says, 'now you do it.' I am a hands-on person and I learn quickly and I love learning new things." Everett's new job is a far cry from her former employment as a cashier at ShopRite. "There is nothing wrong with being a cashier," she says. "But, the machine did everything for you. All you had to do was stand there. You didn't learn anything."

Learning to ice a cupcake or manage the counter may seem insignificant to some, but for these teens, it's the little things that will translate into resume-building skills and life-changing experiences. Fiedler, Bloom and their backers at WUIP realize that lives can change one cupcake at a time.

"We know that each of us at WUIP has an ownership stake in young women's and children's lives," says Frampton. "We never could have done this without the collective strength of 100 women. We can now be a part of creating something that will change lives for years to come.

COMING FULL-CIRCLE

As Fiedler and Bloom survey the cafe's offerings of cupcakes like espresso-Nutella, lemon-almond and red velvet, a steady stream of customers stop in to sample the frosted treats. "I could smell these from outside and couldn't resist,"says a young businesswoman. "I have to have one."

Bloom remarks, "Sometimes it is impossible to close the store at the end of the day. If someone stops in at closing time, how can you not sell them a cupcake when you know what it really means?"