WORCESTER, Mass. - Back to school mean eans back to stocking up Lora Barish. The special education teacher at Woodland Academy in Worcester goes the extra mile for her students to make sure they have everything they need.

“There’s shampoo, conditioner, body wash," she said. "They can get chapstick, they can get hair elastics, lotion, nail clippers. 

She calls it the "care closet" and it's open any student who needs anything. 

Across the classroom, there's a locker stocked with a different kind of necessity - baking supplies.

“Cake, frosting, every kid gets two pans and candles," Barish said. 

Barish makes sure she has everything she needs to celebrate her students turning a year older. 

“It's even labeled," she said. "It's exclusively for cakes."

Barish has been teaching for eight years and said the idea came to her after learning a South High student never had a birthday cake before because his family couldn’t afford one.

“It just broke my heart that my own students might have never had a birthday cake on their birthday either," Barish said. 

Barish keeps track of all 30 of her students’ birthdays. They take home a birthday cake goodie bag with all the supplies, a birthday card and instructions for parents.

“I don’t know if they make them or not, but it doesn’t really matter because at least it gives me the piece of mind that I know they can celebrate on their birthday if they need to," she said. 

Sometimes, the cake does a little more. For one student in foster care, it’s an icebreaker and helps her transition to a new home.

“Every time she changed homes I would give her a cake because the first time I gave it to her, she said it was the perfect thing to do to get to know the family and make it less awkward," Barish said. 

Whatever the occasion, a slice of cake on a special day is something sweet, for students and for Barish.

“I love the kids and I love this population," she said. "The kids are just ready to accept all of the love you are trying to give."

The birthday cake pantry is made possible by donations.  Its fully stocked for the year, but Barish said she’s always accepting donations for the "care closet."