Celebrating 50 years in business this year, Anna’s Cake House is one of the oldest Asian family-run businesses in Vancouver – and it’s a family that continues to give to those in need. In 1988, Anna’s Cake House donated their first gift to St. Paul’s Hospital, which has become our oldest in-kind relationship. Since then, the business has embarked on a special partnership with St. Paul’s Foundation that is still thriving to this day.
Giving to St. Paul’s Hospital
Since 2012, Ron and the team at Anna’s Cake House have donated cookies to health care workers at St. Paul’s Hospital to launch the Lights of Hope season. Ron’s philosophy behind donating these cookies is quite simple: inner happiness. Ron receives joy from giving items such as food and gifts.
“I find that helping other people do what they need to in times of need is something that gives me great joy,” he says. “When you give from the heart, you get three times back more in happiness. And I just don’t see that ratio when I only give somebody a cheque.”
Shining a light on health care staff
Anna’s Cake House’s generous donation of 1,000 cookies year after year spreads holiday cheer and celebrates health care heroes during Lights of Hope season, St. Paul’s Foundation’s annual – and very visible – fundraising campaign that supports innovative research, compassionate care for patients, and life-enriching activities for residents in long-term care.
If you were to pay a visit to Anna’s Cake House, you would find all sorts of delicious treats such as their best-selling Strawberry Napoleon Cake or seasonal Fresh Mango Cake, but you would not be able to purchase any star-shaped cookies. This is something that Anna’s Cake House specifically bakes for hospital staff, and the shape is directly connected to Lights of Hope donor stars that are placed outside the hospital. The opportunity to boost morale among health care staff is something that brings great pride to Ron.
Anna’s Cake House philanthropy impact in Vancouver
St. Paul’s Foundation isn’t the only recipient of Anna’s Cake House’s generosity – the business is also committed to supporting health care, education, safety, sports, and arts organizations.
In the past, Anna’s Cake House have donated pastries to Vancouver Police Department and their community policing centres. Some 20 years ago, Ron donated a cake to the Arts Club Theatre Company in Vancouver for an opening night, which led to their cakes becoming a staple for many opening nights for theatre groups across the city. They even won a national award for philanthropy from Business & Arts Canada for their contribution of cakes to theatre groups.
The impact that this donation brings to St. Paul’s Hospital and Lights of Hope goes beyond a simple gift of cookies. It showcases a special partnership between St. Paul’s Foundation and Anna’s Cake House that recognizes the bond between local community businesses and health care workers here in Vancouver.
In-kind gifts – such as products, services, or volunteering – greatly contribute to our mission of supporting compassionate care and transforming health care across the province. We have immense gratitude to those who gift us their time and effort.
Appreciating the personal touch St. Paul’s Hospital offers
Ron understands the personal connection and compassionate care that St. Paul’s Hospital offers to its patients first-hand. One evening some years ago, Ron found himself in St. Paul’s Teck Emergency Centre. He was blown away not only by the level of care that he received, but also the love and attention that staff displayed for all the patients.
Ron appreciates the personal touch St. Paul’s Hospital offers, and this has helped sustain his commitment to providing the cookies every year.
“St. Paul’s Hospital feels like it has a soul, it feels like family,” he says.
Since 1998, gifts to Lights of Hope have totalled more than $53.7 million, making a difference to hundreds of thousands of patients and residents from across BC.