The holidays will be here before we know it and with the giving season comes local nonprofit Mama’s Kitchen’s 18th Annual Mama’s Pies Thanksgiving Bake Sale.
The fundraiser helps raise funds needed for the nonprofit to continue to provide nutritional support to San Diego residents at risk of malnutrition due to HIV, cancer, congestive heart failure, type 2 diabetes, and chronic kidney disease.
For more than three decades, Mama’s Kitchen has prepared and delivered nutritious meals to those in need.
Established in 1990, Mama’s Kitchen started as a volunteer response to the AIDS epidemic, and now supports residents with several different critical illnesses. And the need continues to grow.
With the support of hundreds of volunteers, businesses, and community members, Mama’s Kitchen strives to help its clients stay healthy, preserve their dignity, and keep their families together by providing, medically tailored home-delivered meals and nutrition education – all at no cost.
“Although we’ve made it past the initial hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re still seeing San Diego residents and families struggling to keep food on their tables due to inflation and other financial challenges,” said Alberto Cortés, CEO, of Mama’s Kitchen.
“Inflation has sky-rocketed and we’re seeing the effect it’s creating for our clients and community, especially for those in need of nutritious food to battle an illness.
“Our annual Thanksgiving bake sale is one of our largest fundraisers, and this year the need to give is even greater to continue providing the nutritional support our clients need, giving them one less battle to face by providing what we know is the basic necessity of life: nutritious food.”
How to Get Involved
Online pie sales for the general end on Saturday, Nov. 19, or until sold out, whichever comes first.
Pie flavors include pumpkin, traditional apple, pecan, and Dutch apple, and are available for $32 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. 23, in time for Thanksgiving dinner.
For those who would like to participate in Mama’s Pies Thanksgiving Bake Sale outside of purchasing a pie, consider donating critical funds directly to Mama’s Kitchen or funding a $32 bakeries.
All proceeds from pie sales directly fund Mama’s Kitchen’s nutrition services and programs and help the organization deliver breakfast, lunch, and dinner to people with critical illnesses who are mentally or physically unable to prepare meals due to their diagnosis.
San Diego pastry chefs, caterers, and bakeries donate their time and talent to bake 3,000 traditional Thanksgiving pies to help Mama’s Kitchen reach its goal of raising $145,000 during the four-week sales period to fund 55,000 meals to benefit the organization’s clients.
“Mama’s Pies is a fun way to give back to those in need this holiday season that not only provides our clients with much-needed meals but also the buyers with a delicious dessert for their Thanksgiving feast,” Cortés said.
Mama’s Pies is made possible with the generous support of sponsors, including Sycuan Casino Resort, Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine, Scatena Daniels Communications, Behind the Scenes Catering & Events, Shamrock Foods Company, All Fresh Wholesale, and Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
For those interested in participating in Mama’s Pies Thanksgiving Bake Sale as 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.