Heroes for the Homeless, a Seattle-based advocacy group, celebrated its third annual “Let Them Eat Cupcake” event the Feb. 5-6 weekend, distributing 6450 cupcakes to homeless people with the help of the organization’s volunteer network of over 100 bakers and distributors, some from West Seattle, and stores that donate cupcakes, including the Safeway markets on Roxbury and Alki Junction. Homeless in West Seattle, under area bridges, and in and around White Center were served.

The idea came from Heroes founder Tricia Lapitan who wanted to give rather than receive on her birthday, which this time around roughly coincides with handing out of some 6,000 cupcakes Friday and Saturday, Feb. 5 and 6, to homeless (she calls them “clients”) in shelters and on the streets. Her sister, Laureen L. Yambot, co-sponsors the event. Since its start in 2008, Yambot became inspired by the event and started her own cupcake business called “Cupcake Luv” and sells at farmers’ markets.

“A team of thirty of us visited the overnight shelters Friday night,” said Lapitan, an attorney for the Seattle Municipal Court. “We have to arrive between 8:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. so that folks can have a snack at bedtime or at breakfast. These transitional and emergency shelters close their doors after 9:30 p.m.

“Saturday morning is our regular outreach, distributing peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and hot chocolate to our target population, clients living out in the margins. We’ll be hiking under the bridges and into the woods.”

In 2008 they distributed 2,100 cupcakes, a year later almost 5,000.

“This year we are poised to top 6,000,” she said just prior to Feb. 5. “Next year more? I mean, can we eat more than 6,000 cupcakes in two days? I hope so.”

While the concept of delivering sweets to the needy may raise a few eyebrows, Lapitan has a response.

“Every human being is valuable,” she said. “Most of our clients are in a crisis situation. Celebrating their birthday is the farthest thing from their mind. These are individuals who don’t access services. Not only do we want to bring awareness to all the issues that transcend what homelessness means and the tragedy of it, but also to celebrate people just as human beings.”