Recently, the Regional Food Bank received a large donation of apple pie filling. It wasn’t something we could simply send out to agencies as it was, but we also knew it was too good to go unused.
So, we reached out to the Culinary Institute of America. Within a day, students were already stepping into the kitchen, ready to help. Ninth-semester student Cory Stevens helped organize the effort and coordinate the baking. Fellow baking and pastry student Robin Cullen worked alongside him to get everything moving. Soon, a group of CIA students volunteered their time and began preparing individual apple pies that could be frozen and shared across our service area. In total, we’ll receive 500 pies.
While Cory and Robin helped guide the project, this truly became a full student effort. Over several days, students prepared, baked, and packaged each pie so they could safely reach local pantries and meal programs. For many families, these pies will be something special a ready-to-serve treat that isn’t always available or within their budget. We thank the CIA for their efforts in making this possible!