Even though fall just began, the holiday giving season is already in full swing at one local organization.
More than 50 Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutritional Alliance volunteers spent last Sunday in the kitchens at Classic Cake Bakery in Northeast Philadelphia, crafting more than 1,000 pies to open the organization’s 15th annual Pie in the Sky fundraiser.
MANNA works to provide nutritional meals to those with life-threatening illnesses, including HIV/AIDS, and the pie sale is the agency’s biggest annual philanthropic venture.
“Pie in the Sky is our largest and most important fundraiser every year,” said MANNA executive director Richard Keaveny.
MANNA volunteers teamed up with Classic Cake last weekend to create this year’s signature dish, the Sky Pie — a creamy cheesecake chock full of walnuts and caramel — an effort MANNA marketing and media director Lindsay Cohen said the organization undertook to involve its dedicated volunteers directly in the production process.
“A few years ago we baked the pies right in the MANNA kitchen with the help of our volunteers and we wanted to bring that idea back in a sense with the bake-off,” she said. “Not all of the pies will be made by the volunteers but we definitely wanted to incorporate them as much as possible.”
In addition to the signature dessert, MANNA will offer three other varieties — holiday pumpkin, traditional apple and southern pecan, which Classic Cake will produce. The signature pie will go for $50 — with a chance for the buyer to win a $1,000 US Airways voucher — while the other dishes are $25. Pies will be on sale through Nov. 18.
Organizers are looking to raise more than $250,000 from the sale.
In addition to purchasing pies for their own Thanksgiving celebration, supporters can sign up to be individual or team sellers, getting the word out about the pie sale.
“This year we really reevaluated how to make the most from our fundraiser and that’s going to be through our pie-selling teams,” Cohen said. “Teams can be two people or big groups, and you just need to reach out to your own family, friends, coworkers, and encourage them to buy a pie.”
Friendly competition undoubtedly will arise through the effort, Cohen said, as MANNA’s seller page includes rankings and statistics on team sales.
A kickoff party will be held for current or interested selling teams from 6-7:30 p.m. Oct. 10 at Bertucci’s, 523 W. Lancaster Ave. in Wayne, and from 6-7:30 p.m. Oct. 11 at Public House Restaurant, 1801 Arch St.
“MANNA is working hard to recruit more pie-selling teams for 2011 in order to bring about the success we need in order to feed families and provide nourishing meals for those who are seriously ill,” Keaveny said, adding that the purchase of one pie — or a donation in its place — can provide an entire Thanksgiving meal for a family in need. “This year, we are encouraging those who don’t need a Thanksgiving dinner pie to outright contribute $25 and MANNA will provide a delicious soup-to-nuts Thanksgiving dinner for four.”
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Jen Colletta can be reached at [email protected].
