Community Servings, a Jamaica Plain-based nonprofit provider of medically tailored meals and nutrition services, recently announced the launch of its 29th annual Pie in the Sky, the community bake sale-style fundraiser that helps feed chronically and critically ill neighbors across Massachusetts.
Whole Foods Market is returning as the presenting sponsor and will donate proceeds from select pie sales in stores ahead of Thanksgiving.
“We’re planning for a ‘record-baking’ Pie in the Sky thanks to the generosity our sponsors, bakers and volunteers,” said David B. Waters, CEO of Community Servings. “Together, we’ll not only help address the increasing need for nutritious food among our community’s critically and chronically ill, but will make Thanksgiving dinner even more meaningful for thousands of families across Massachusetts.”
The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic couldn’t stop last year’s Pie in the Sky. With streamlined baking, boxing and touchless delivery of more than 7,000 pies from Community Servings’ kitchen and Hyde Park-based Boston Baking Inc., and the sale of thousands of pumpkin and apple pies at Whole Food Markets across Massachusetts, Community Servings raised over $640,000 in 2020. This year, the agency hopes to sell 14,000 pies and raise over $750,000 to feed thousands of clients and help offset steep increases in the cost of labor, high-quality foods and packaging materials stemming from ongoing global supply chain issues and labor shortages.
Historically, over 150 Boston-area chefs, bakers, caterers and restaurants generously donate scratch-made pies to the Pie in the Sky bake sale. However, given the continued impacts of the pandemic on the restaurant and food-service industry, for 2021, all pies will be baked by Boston Baking and a dozen area restaurants.
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 boxed and sealed pies on Nov. 23 at a designated pick-up site.
Whole Foods Market has supported Community Servings since 1996, helping the organization provide 110,000 medically tailored meals. From Nov. 15 to Nov. 30, Whole Foods Market will sell specially baked apple and pumpkin Pie in the Sky pies in all of its Massachusetts locations and donate $5 from each sale to Community Servings, which will provide a day’s worth of nourishing meals to neighbors in need during the holiday season.
“The strong collaboration with Community Servings has allowed us to assist in providing nutritious food to our neighbors across Massachusetts who are struggling with chronic illness,” said Jean-Philippe Scioville, Senior In-Store & Local Marketing Specialist at Whole Foods Market. “We are proud to sponsor the 29th annual Pie in the Sky fundraiser and support Community Servings through our in-store pie purchases, reinforcing our commitment and core value to care for our communities.”
In addition to Whole Foods Market, Pie in the Sky sponsors include Big Foot Moving & Storage, Boston Baking, Coldwell Banker CARES, Digitas, ScrubaDub Auto Wash Centers, State Street and Tito’s Handmade Vodka.
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 Pie in the Sky campaign with a “Pie for a Community Servings Client” donation. In addition, one lucky donor will be randomly selected to win a year of free unlimited ScrubaDub car washes. Over the past eight years, the Paisner family-owned car wash company has contributed over $200,000 to Community Servings, providing more than 80,000 meals for its clients, caretakers and dependents.
“ScrubaDub is honored to support our critically ill neighbors with essential meals, healing and hope this Thanksgiving season as we continue our fantastic partnership with Community Servings,” said Mathew Paisner, ScrubaDub Director of Business Development.