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SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) – “Unforgettable” isn’t just the name of Belinda Baptiste’s business — it’s how she chooses to live her life.

“It’s an everyday thing,” the Unforgettable Bakery owner said. “If I can be remembered as somebody who loved people, that’s the way I want to be remembered.”

A baker by profession, Baptiste crafts delectable cookies, cakes and bread from scratch, with her own added flair. Some of her recipes come from her Haitian heritage, while others are a mixture of what she learned from those who’ve crossed her path.

But it isn’t what comes out of Baptiste’s oven that makes her unit. It’s the heart and passion she puts into her dishes and passes on to others.

After 13 years in business, she continues to make the community better through several outreach initiatives at home and abroad.

“I just want to love people. It’s nothing great about me,” Baptiste said. “I know what the word says — to love with all of our heart and love others as ourselves and impacting people’s lives. Like I was given.

“Since I was a kid until now, people still pour into me. So, I ought to do that with people.”

Following a devastating earthquake in Haiti in 2010 and the destruction of Hurricane Matthew, Baptiste donated a portion of the proceeds of her sales to help rebuild the island nation.

She’s also dedicated her time to mentoring single mothers through a local nonprofit, Shelter from the Rain.

“Belinda understands the challenges of a single mom and how to celebrate the triumphs of a single mom,” said Jennifer Graham, the program’s founder. “She’s done so many amazing things while raising her children.”

“She’s an inspiration to me, to other moms that we serve,” Graham continued. “She’s one of the best mentors we’ve had because she does truly understand how to overcome challenges, how to set goals, how to reach them, and she’s able to teach that to single moms.”

It’s where Kenyatta Roebuck met Baptiste, who says her influence has been life-changing.

“I became a homeowner in 2020 because of the things that she planted within me. We still to this day have a beautiful relationship,” Roebuck told WSAV. “She encouraged me to become a business owner. So, I have a small business I’m working on. Everything about hustling and making money and supporting my family — she gave that to me.”

In addition to mentoring single moms, Baptiste has sent kids to summer camp. She is now working towards expanding educational opportunities to underserved students, building a network that invests in motivated young people as they pursue their studies at historically Black colleges and universities through what she calls the Unforgettable Dream Fund.

The initiative is literally food for thought that provides hope for a better future.

“To me, doing nothing is never an option,” said Baptiste. “It’s not an option. You have to do something.”

Unforgettable Bakery is located at 238 Eisenhower Drive.