Community Fundraiser Spotlight – Skyler’s Thanksgiving Pies

All across the state, Mainers are helping their communities fight hunger by coordinating creative fundraisers to raise awareness and funds to help feed Mainers in need. For two years in a row, Skyler Manhart has been baking pies for Thanksgiving with all proceeds benefiting Good Shepherd Food Bank.

This year, her apple, pecan, pumpkin, blueberry and Tollhouse cookie pies, raised enough to total 6,105 meals for Mainers in need. We interviewed Skyler to learn a little more about her pies for hunger-relief and her inspiration for helping Mainers in need.

Q: Tell us a little about you, your fundraiser, why you love baking pies, and giving back.

A: I go to school at Hampden Academy and am also taking a psychology class at the University of Maine Augusta. I am in Key Club, show choir, and work backstage for drama. I am also interested in art and skiing.

I’ve been baking for as long as I can remember. The idea for the pie project started pretty small. I had the idea in October of 2020 and planned on making around 20 pies just in my kitchen and donating the proceeds to Good Shepherd Food Bank. I have always been passionate about the homeless community and how they often get overlooked especially in a smaller city like Bangor.

Q: What inspired you to make Good Shepherd Food Bank the beneficiary of your pie fundraiser?

A: I chose Good Shepherd Food Bank because of the direct community impact. My mom has also done a project for the Food Bank before, so she had some experience with it.

Q: After you see the direct impact of your gift, please share how this made you feel.

A: One of the best parts of this project was the breakdown that I got a couple of months after last year’s project. It listed where the money went, how many meals it provided, that kind of thing. It was really interesting and powerful to see what the money raised had done. I feel really accomplished when I get to see the direct impact of my work. I also see this when we make and bring excess pies to the homeless shelter in Bangor for their Thanksgiving dinner.

We’re are grateful that Skyler chose to support our critical hunger-relief work!

Community fundraisers are coordinated and hosted by people or organizations external to Good Shepherd Food Bank with the express purpose of raising funds or awareness for the Food Bank. These events are often hosted by families, volunteers, individuals interested in giving back to their community, students fulfilling community service requirements, or organizations willing to give products or services. Learn more about hosting a community fundraiser, here.