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East County News Service
Photo courtesy of Mama’s Pies
Restaurants, caterers and bakeries asked to volunteer to bake pies for people in need; public can order pies online
October 7, 2021 (San Diego) -- The holiday season is quickly approaching, which means local nonprofit Mama’s Kitchen is cooking up plans for its highly anticipated 17th Annual Mama’s Pies Thanksgiving Bake Sale. Mama’s Pies is a popular fundraiser that raises critical funds for the nonprofit to provide nutrition services to San Diegans vulnerable to hunger due to HIV, cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and chronic kidney disease.
Mama’s Kitchen is San Diego’s only free, countywide, home-delivered meal program for individuals and families experiencing these critical illnesses.
Mama’s Kitchen delivers more than food-- it delivers love, medicine and healing
For over 31 years, Mama’s Kitchen has prepared and delivered nutritious meals to local individuals in need. When the pandemic hit last year, the organization did not skip a beat and was prepared to jump into action when the community needed support, as they are familiar with the challenges that come with a worldwide pandemic. Established in 1990, Mama’s Kitchen started as a volunteer response to the AIDS epidemic, and now delivers three medically-tailored nutritious meals a day, seven days a week and free of charge to individuals in need.
“Our organization saw a 50% increase in demand in response to COVID. Last year we delivered 600,000 meals to our neighbors in need of nutrition, comfort and a friendly visit,” says Alberto Cortés, CEO, Mama’s Kitchen. “We couldn’t have met these demands without the unfailing support of our community of volunteers, donors and staff members. Our home-delivered meal service continues to expand to support additional types of critical illness, and our annual bake sale directly supports our efforts to fight critical illnesses through the power of nutrition.”
What to know before you purchase a pie
Online pie sales begin Oct. 11 and continue through Nov. 20, 2021. Pie flavors include pumpkin, traditional apple, pecan and Dutch apple, and are available for just $30 each. Each pie sold allows Mama’s Kitchen to cook, prepare and deliver 12 nutritious meals to our neighbors battling critical illnesses. Buyers may select one of several drive-through public pickup sites throughout San Diego when placing their orders and can pick up their pies on Wednesday, Nov. 24.
For those who would like to participate in Mama’s Pies Thanksgiving Bake Sale outside of purchasing a pie for themselves, you can consider donating critical funds directly to Mama’s Kitchen or funding a $30 Holiday Feast that will provide 12 meals to a client in need.
Pie bakers, sellers and volunteers needed
Considered San Diego’s largest annual bake sale, Mama’s Pies brings together community volunteers to sell Thanksgiving pies baked and donated by local caterers, restaurants and bakeries. All proceeds from pie sales directly fund Mama’s Kitchen’s services and programs, and helps the organization deliver breakfast, lunch and dinner to people affected by critical illness who are mentally or physically unable to prepare meals as a result of their diagnosis.
San Diego pastry chefs, caterers and bakeries will graciously donate their time and talent to bake 2,800 traditional Thanksgiving pies to help Mama’s Kitchen reach its goal of raising $125,000 during the six-week sales period to fund 50,000 meals to benefit the organization’s clients. “The holiday season is a time for giving and Mama’s Pies is a fun, feel-good, and delicious way to give back to those in need of the basic necessity of life, which is nutritious food,” says Cortés.
Mama’s Pies is made possible with the generous support of sponsors including All Fresh Products Inc., Behind the Scenes Catering & Events, Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine, Ling & Bouman, LLP, SAIC Equality Alliance, Shamrock Foods, Sycuan Casino Resort.
For those interested in participating in Mama’s Pies Thanksgiving Bake Sale as a baker, as well as individuals and corporations wanting to become a pie seller, volunteer or sponsor, please contact Silvia Dominguez at silvia@mamaskitchen.org to get involved. More information on this year’s fundraising efforts can also be found at mamaspies.org or call 619-233-6262.
ABOUT MAMA’S KITCHEN
Mama's Kitchen was established in 1990 by a San Diego caregiver who enlisted volunteers to prepare and deliver free meals to neighbors who were sick with HIV/AIDS and unable to cook for themselves. The organization realized that a reliable home meal delivery service was needed to ensure that these individuals would continue to receive nutritious, life-sustaining food. In 2004,
Mama’s Pantry was launched to serve HIV+ San Diegans who are healthy enough to cook but unable to purchase nutritious food due to extremely low income. Since then, the organization has expanded their Home-Delivered Meal Service program to other at-risk populations including those battling cancer (2006), individuals with heart failure and diabetes (2018), and individuals with chronic kidney disease (2020). Beyond medically tailored meals, clients also receive nutritional counseling from registered dietitians. In 2021, the organization delivered its 10 millionth meal.
For 31 years, Mama’s Kitchen has never turned away a client who qualified for its services. During the current COVID-19 pandemic, the organization responded to an overall 50 percent increase in demand, welcoming more than 1,400 new critically ill clients, and delivering more than 1,200,000 meals since the pandemic began. Mama’s Kitchen will continue to provide emergency response efforts and currently provides home-delivered meals and nutrition education services to over 2,000 individuals and families in San Diego County annually. Learn more and make a donation at www.mamaskitchen.org. Connect with Mama’s Kitchen on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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