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KATI’S PIES NOURISH — twice.

This is year eight that Kati Hilario of Santa Rosa and a kitchen-load of helpers will bake pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving, sell them for $15 each and donate the proceeds to the Redwood Empire Food Bank.

Kati could have passed this year. Having founded Pies for Poverty at age 12, she’s now 19 and plenty busy as a sophomore at Sacramento State.

But she says she’s determined to raise a lot of money for the food bank as it toils to meet the increased demand created by the disastrous fires.

Since 2011, Kati has baked 1,112 pies and donated $19,718 to the REFB. Kati invites us to order a pie or two for ourselves, and another one or two that she will present to first responders. You can pick up your pie or pies at the food bank, or Kati and company will deliver them.

To order or to learn more, email Kati at piesforpoverty@outlook.com.

The deadline to order is Nov. 17. You can reach Staff Writer Chris Smith at 707-521-5211 and chris.smith@pressdemocrat.com.

CHRIS SMITH