STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK

The Hunger Coalition’s new community kitchen turned into a pie and cookie factory this past week as the organization prepared for its first Thanksgiving giveaway in its new campus.

Volunteers spent a handful of days baking nearly 500 pies to include a homemade touch in the holiday boxes given to Hunger Coalition recipients. Some even learned the art of pie making from the veterans in their midst.

Last year Starr Weekes volunteered to bake 500 pies in her own kitchen with a little help from her friends. But The Hunger Coalition’s new industrial kitchen at its new Bellevue campus has made it possible for more volunteers to join in the fun, said The Hunger Coalition’s Lynea Petty.

Petty said the Hunger Coalition expected between 350 and 500 families to pick up holiday boxes as rising food costs continue to make it tough for families to get all they need. Last year the organization handed out 500 boxes.

The Wood River Valley has the fifth-highest food costs in the nation with Hailey home to the ninth greatest wealth inequality in the country, according to The Hunger Coalition’s Development Director Kristin McMahon. And many in the community are one crisis away from needing assistance.

John Mauldin and his wife Melody Taylor-Mauldin were among volunteers pacing boxes, which included yams, sweet potatoes, hams and onions.

This was the first chance for Hunger Coalition recipients to order what they wanted online and so some ordered things like chilies, with which they could make traditional Mexican dishes.

Library volunteers handed out free books for children. And other volunteers baked cookies that they served along with hot chocolate to those who came to pick up food.

“We thought the cookies would add a nice touch—people would get a smell of the holiday and get a  sweet treat when they picked up food,” said Dolores Vega, of The Hunger Coalition. “It’s community building. It builds a bridge for the community.”

It’s community building. Helps people when they pick up food. Builds bridge of community.

DID YOU KNOW?

The Mason Family Restaurants donated the turkey and gravy for Ketchum Community Dinners' Thanksgiving meal Wednesday evening.

Members of St. Thomas Episcopal Church prepared a scrumptious meal of sweet potato casserole, sausage stuffing, green beans, rolls and pumpkin and apple pie.