INFOCUS

BAKING A DIFFERENCE

WITH NO KID HUNGRY!

WRITTEN BY BETHANEY WALLACE / PHOTOS BY JAMI BOWMAN

On Sat., Oct. 30, the Kansas City Chapter of No Kid Hungry will host what has become a semi-annual event. The Kansas City Bake Sale for No Kid Hungry is a community event featuring talented bakers offering a wide variety of baked goods with the goal of raising funds for and awareness of childhood hunger. No Kid Hungry is a dedicated national campaign run by nonprofit Share Our Strength, launched in 2010.

Since 2014, this Kansas City Bake Sale has combined culinary professionals with hobby bakers and “Next Generation” bakers— talented kids with big hearts—sharing their strengths with a common goal: providing access to healthy meals for kids facing food insecurity. The chapter has been recognized by No Kid Hungry for four of the past five years as the number one independent bake sale fundraising team in the country.

Gina Reardon, a former catering business owner and founder/director of the Kansas City Chapter of No Kid Hungry, said it’s important to help provide for kids in our community and struggling communities across the country, and understand their needs. “Kids need consistent, healthy meals to thrive, but not every child has access,” she explains, adding that on average teachers spend more

Pictured from Top to Bottom: Gina Reardon, Founder, Kan-

sas City Chapter, No Kid Hungry; Alison Patterson, Community Baker; Jessica Armstrong, Co-Owner & Pastry Chef, Novel; JC Gregg, Community Baker & Culinary Philanthropist

than $200 of their own funds to provide healthy snacks for students in the classroom who may not have had breakfast at home. With an empty stomach, it is difficult for kids to focus and learn. Hunger hurts their grades, their health, and their happiness.

The chapter has raised more than $330,000, and with every dollar providing 10 healthy meals, has helped provide more than 3.3 million school breakfast, afterschool, and summer meals. Shoppers will find a spectacular array of homemade baked goods donated by members of the bake sale team, with seasonal style and creative execution.

It’s not a typical bake sale. Displayed under a large tent with linen-covered tables, fresh flowers, and creatively packaged baked goods, the entire event is exactly that … an event! It’s not just a place to promote a good cause, it’s an experience. The goodwill and vibrant energy are palpable.

In addition to baked goods, the sale offers pantry items such as homemade jams, jellies, chutneys, s’mores kits, other jarred goods, and more. “People coming in should know it’s not just bake sale staples like chocolate chip cookies and rice krispie treats. Besides bars and cookies, shoppers will find muffins, pastries, scones, whole pies, cakes, artisan breads, and an assortment of savory items. We have pastry chefs and restaurants representing the best of our Kansas City culinary community. It’s not like any bake sale you’ve ever seen before,” explains Reardon.

Volunteers can participate by donating any type of baked good, pantry item, or volunteer to support the bake sale in another way. “If someone wants to participate but isn’t a baker, we have a lane for them too,” she says.

Community baker J.C. Gregg, accountant by day and culinary philanthropist by night, has been volunteering his skills for NKH since 2016. He’s known for his French macarons, particularly their bright colors and unique flavors. He will also donate a cake for the raffle; this year’s will be Halloween-themed.

Gregg will create a macaron tower consisting of multiple fall flavors and about 60 cookies. The tower and his cake will be raffled off during the event. For more information on his prep work and upcoming flavors, follow his Instagram account (instagram.com/jc.gregg).

On his decision to work with NKH, Gregg says it was a personal choice, recalling kids who didn’t have enough growing up. “We are in such a market of pre-made food; a lot of families can’t afford that,” he explains, mentioning NKH’s outreach in helping families purchase and prepare healthy meals. “Their grants, the meals, the outreach are amazing and I’m blessed to be a part of it.”

For Alison Patterson, volunteering is a family event. It began when she was looking for a way to give back with her daughter, Elwyn, who is now 14. They’ve participated since the first year Next Generation bakers were invited to participate, in 2016. Now the whole family is in on the fun, with Patterson’s husband and mother-in-law providing their own goodies. The family provides items like bourbon balls, cakes, and cookies from recipes passed down from generation to generation, including her grandmother’s butter cookies.

“While you are baking together, you can have a discussion about kids who don’t have enough to eat,” she says. “I really appreciate knowing that [NKH] builds awareness around childhood hunger. I went to school and I saw it. So many people in my neighborhood don’t see it the way I used to. I love that it heightens awareness, and it feeds people in the community.”

Another baker providing goodies is Novel’s very own executive pastry chef and co-owner, Jessica Armstrong. Participating in the bake sale since 2015, this year she’ll be providing caramel apple whoopie pies and pumpkin pie bars. “Giving back to our community has always been something I’ve believed in,” she says. “The children are our future; we need to support them.”

The sale will take place on the green space next to Commerce Bank at the corner of Brookside Plaza and Meyer Boulevard from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Tables will be spaced to provide better social distancing, and masks are encouraged but not required. “The early bird catches the worm,” Reardon warns. “We typically sell out and late arrivals may not find their favorites. Come before 11 a.m. to get the best selection!”

Find more information about volunteering, providing items for the bake sale, underwriting opportunities, or to pre-purchase raffle tickets by visiting the team website at kcteam4nokidhungry.com.

“Their grants, the meals, the outreach are amazing and I’m blessed to be a part of it.”