In Avon, two sisters who run a brand new bakery are trying to be charitable in this season of Thanksgiving. They’re donating some sweet treats to several community organizations trying to help the less fortunate ahead of the holiday.
Sisters Khamla Vorasane and Chan Graham opened BouNom Bakery Café in Avon in February, just weeks before the pandemic upended life. But the sisters say they were raised to give back, so its something they’ve been doing since they opened, despite the challenging times.
“In times of need is when people need to really kind of think of other people. I think that will make the world better,” saidVorasane.
This year they’re baking up 100 pies from scratch to give away. On Thanksgiving those pies will go to clients of the Community Renewal Team, people experiencing homelessness in Hartford and East Hartford.
This generosity, something they learned from their parents when the sisters immigrated to the US as children.
“With all this craziness that is going on, I want them to just have one pie to say oh my god, somebody is thinking about me,” said Graham.
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In addition to pies, the sisters are asking their patrons to donate food so they can assist other groups hosting food drives this holiday season. One of the groups they’re teaming up with is Jewish Family Services of Greater Hartford.
"They’re going to collect them and bring them right here to the Anja Rosenberg Kosher Food Pantry here in West Hartford and we’re so grateful,” said Katie Hanley, CEO of JFS.
Wednesday, Hanley and a team packed up some 200 bags of food and other necessities, including items to keep their patrons warm this winter. The team there is preparing to help unprecedented numbers of people in the community this weekend.
“This year is unlike any other year. This year we’re serving 200 families. That is twice the amount of families that we served last year. So any help that the community could offer we really appreciate because we couldn’t do it without them,” said Hanley.
To donate to BouNom’s drive, you can stop by their shop at 136 Simsbury Road in Avon.
You can learn more about the JFS’s efforts at https://jfshartford.org/
