CeCe pie class 2018-11-10 092
Local News

Retired educator helps improve the world through pie baking

Combining her desire to make a difference and her ability to make a darned good pie, CeCe Coffey of Homewood started a venture earlier this year of baking pies for charity. With her years of experience in baking and skills learned in a specialized cooking class, it seems the perfect way to give back to her community. A Piece of the Pie was born.

There are two things in this world that shouldn’t be underestimated: 
  1. The fact that one person can make an impact in the world.
  2. The power of a pie.

  CeCe Coffey places two 
  pumpkin pies in the over 
  during a pie-making class 
  she offered in November 
  at Flossmoor Community 
  Church.
(Photos by Eric
  Crump/H-F Chronicle)

 

Combining her desire to make a difference and her ability to make a darned good pie, CeCe Coffey of Homewood started a venture earlier this year of baking pies for charity. With her years of experience in baking and skills learned in a specialized cooking class, it seems the perfect way to give back to her community.

A retired educator, Coffey spent most of her career at Homewood School District 153 teaching kindergarten, first and third grades and serving as principal of Churchill School from 2001 to 2017.

“When I retired, I knew I wanted to do something in the nonprofit sector,” said Coffey. “I have been an avid baker for some time and decided to meld the two together in this venture. Doing it on a small scale allows me to participate in other volunteer efforts, as well as travel and spend time with my family.” 

Her title now is “CBP” or Chief Pie Baker.

Coffey has a website, apieceofthepieinc.com, where patrons can place their pie orders. A new flavor is offered each month, which Coffey hand delivers to customers in Homewood and Flossmoor. Pies sell for $25 and some of the flavors available have been tart cherry pie, blackberry balsamic crumble, brown sugar peach pie and apple pie. She tends to use seasonal fruits, making berry pies in the summer and apple and pumpkin pies in the fall.

“Once a month I offer 25 to 30 pies for sale – a pie of the month – on my website. I bake and deliver the pies locally,” she said. “All net proceeds go to a different local charity each month.” 

You can’t find her pies for sale at public events, but you may happen across some donated pies for local fund raisers.

The pie sales began this past April. Her goal was to donate $5,000 in the first year and she has already donated $4,300. 

So far, she has contributed to several organizations, including South Suburban Family Shelter, the community dinners program at Calvary United Protestant Church in Park Forest, Foundation 153, Aunt Martha’s, the Jones Community Center in Chicago Heights, the Night Ministry and the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. 

She also donated five pumpkins pies to be raffled off for the Flossmoor Community Church PADS fundraiser. Winners had their pies delivered the day before Thanksgiving and proceeds went to support the PADS program at FCC.

Interested in getting your hands on one of these pies and helping a good cause?  Follow “A Piece of the Pie” on Facebook and subscribe to the mailing list on apieceofthepieinc.com for updates. You can contact Coffey at [email protected].

  CeCe Coffee, right, leads a pie-baking class in 
  November. 

 

 

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