RALEIGH, N.C. – Kathryn Lee is the owner and creative mind behind The Homemaker Baker in Raleigh. 

She started the business in earnest after losing her job in fast food during the pandemic. Lee is self-taught, spending hours watching tutorials on Youtube. 

“I’m lucky that I do have this and that I took the time to watch the Youtube tutorials and how I have this to fall back on.”

Although unemployment figures are lowering in North Carolina, more than 300,000 are still struggling with job loss because of the pandemic.  

While Lee, who is the mother of two boys, has worked hard to find another source of income, she admits the last several months have been a struggle.

“No one has it all together," Lee says. "The authentic part is the kids running up, needing my attention, the fights and disagreements, and needing help with virtual school.”

But there is a silver lining. 

The Homemaker Baker Facebook page along with customer word of mouth is translating into cake orders, proving hope can reside outside of one's comfort zone.

“Before I got into all of this, I felt completely hopeless," Lee said. "I was in the worst depression of my life and I felt like it was never going to get better and I know a lot of people are feeling that way now, but we are not going to be in a pandemic forever and I want people out there to know there is hope and things will get better.”