South End Resident Selling Pies for a Cause

If Cody Zindler has his way, no one will be hungry this holiday season.

As Thanksgiving rolls around, the Montana native-turned South Ender is selling pies as part of Community Servings’ annual Pie in the Sky fundraiser. For every pie sold, a week’s worth of food is delivered to individuals and families struggling with life-threatening illnesses.

For Zindler, getting involved with Community Servings was a no-brainer. Ninety-five percent of every pie purchase goes directly to those in need, he said. The non-profit has over 700 clients in need of healthy, hot meals.  

“I met some wonderful individuals associated with Community Servings through mutual friends and quickly fell in love with the work they do,” he said. “I choose to support them for several reasons, the most important being their devotion to serving nutritious food to those suffering from debilitating diseases.”

For Zindler, the cause is also personal - one of his most precious food memories involves his grandmother, who enjoyed “meals on wheels” when Zindler’s family was stretched thin. The experience offered her nutrition and newfound companionship, Zindler said, and inspired him to write a one-person play depicting a young man volunteering his time to deliver food for men suffering from AIDS. He performed the play in his high school speech and debate class.

“It touched my soul because at the time it spoke to me as a newly minted ‘out’ gay guy,” he wrote. “While the content was too controversial for Montana, it helped develop my foundation as a queer advocate and openly gay man.”

With Thanksgiving just a few weeks away, Zindler is working toward his goal of selling 100 pies. All pies are made and donated by Boston area restaurants and cost $25. They can be picked up November 23 from a variety of locations around Boston. Zindler is hoping that residents will embrace the chance to give back as the holiday season begins.

“My family in Montana always made a practice of saying what we were thankful for before indulging in our hosts' delicious feast,” he recalled. “I still practice that to this day and hope my friends are passing this tradition along as well. Selling pies for Community Servings during this time of year is a natural extension of these Thanksgiving memories.”

Click here to read Zindler’s profile and purchase a pie or make a donation.