In full transparency, the following is a press release submitted to SOURCE media for publication.
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BOSTON – Community Servings, a nonprofit provider of medically tailored meals and nutrition services, and a leader in “food is medicine” research, advocacy and policy, today announced a goal to raise $1 million for the 30th year of Pie in the Sky. The big bake-sale of a fundraiser gives freshly made Thanksgiving pies to those who help feed chronically and critically ill neighbors across Massachusetts.
Hood New England Creamery has joined as a new sponsor of the charitable effort, with a special offer for their creamiest ice cream yet with the purchase of every apple, pecan or pumpkin pie.
Longtime supporter Whole Foods Market will once again donate proceeds from select pie sales in its stores ahead of Thanksgiving, while will provide a free car wash to motorists who make a donation.
“We are responding to a steadily increasing need, particularly since the beginning of the pandemic, for the nourishing, scratch-made meals that we make for thousands of people who are challenged by illness and nutrition insecurity,” said David B. Waters, CEO of Community Servings. “We are grateful to all those who have supported Pie in the Sky and the special meaning it brings to the Thanksgiving meal over the past three decades.”
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Those who make a $30 donation at www.pieinthesky.org will receive their choice of a fresh-baked apple, pecan or pumpkin pie to serve at Thanksgiving.
Each $30 donation supports a week’s worth of healthy meals for one of Community Servings’ clients living with an illness such as HIV/AIDS, cancer, heart disease or diabetes.
Donors will pick up their pies on Nov. 22 at a designated pick-up site, after they are distributed through a massive staff and volunteer effort at the Boston Convention & Exposition Center.
Pie in the Sky began as a grassroots community bake sale that helped fund efforts to prepare and deliver hot nutritious meals to people living with HIV/AIDS. Over the decades, and with support from more than 150 Boston-area chefs, bakers, caterers and restaurants that generously donated pies, the fundraiser has grown to become known as the “World’s Greatest Bake Sale” – selling as many as 25,000 pies annually.
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The COVID-19 pandemic sparked a surge in demand for Community Servings’ meal programs, which have grown by 130% since March 2020. The nonprofit organization is on track to make over 1 million meals in 2022.
This year, most of the pies will be made by Boston Baking Inc. in Hyde Park. Among the Boston chefs contributing pies this year are Joanne Chang and Christopher Myers, who will be enlisting the culinary team at the Flour Bakery commissary in Boston’s Seaport District for the cause.
“Making pies for Thanksgiving is one of our favorite times of year at Flour Bakery,” said Pastry Chef Joanne Chang, owner and operator of Flour Bakery and Cafe. “What makes it even more special is being able to share pies with Community Servings and their supporters knowing that the money raised is helping feed people who are in need. Flour and Community Servings share a common mission – to offer our guests lovingly prepared meals that make them happy.”
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Pie in the Sky sponsors also include America’s Test Kitchen, Big Foot Moving & Storage, Coldwell Banker Residential Banker Cares, Digitas, Ligris, Massachusetts Convention Center Authority, M&T Bank and Tito’s Handmade Vodka.
Whole Foods Market has supported Community Servings since 1996, helping the organization provide 130,000 medically tailored meals. From Nov. 15 to Nov. 30, Whole Foods Market will sell specially baked apple and pumpkin Pie in the Sky-labeled pies in all of its Massachusetts locations. It will donate $5 from each sale to Community Servings, which will provide a day’s worth of nourishing meals to a neighbor in need during the holiday season.
ScrubaDub, New England’s leading car wash company, will again be giving away complimentary car washes (redeemable via email; valid after Thanksgiving) to donors who support the campaign with a “Pie for a Community Servings Client” donation. Over the past nine years, the Paisner family-owned car wash company has contributed over $230,000 to Community Servings, providing more than 80,000 meals for its clients, caretakers and dependents.
Founded in 1990, Community Servings’ mission is to actively engage the community to provide medically tailored, nutritious, scratch-made meals to chronically and critically ill individuals and their families. We commit, in all our programs and business practices, to prioritize racial and economic justice and health equity. To help clients maintain their health and dignity, we provide culturally appropriate meals, nutrition education and counseling, and other community programs. The kitchen team, with support from thousands of volunteers, prepares over 1,000,000 medically tailored meals that are served to more than 5,000 clients annually. For more information about programs and opportunities to volunteer or donate, please visit www.servings.org.
MetroWest Medical Center