Social sorority volunteers of Zeta Tau Alpha and Zeta Phi Beta hold completed chicken pot pies with Tara Taylor, (center) founding executive director of Single Mom Strong. Photo by Tara Taylor/Single Mom Strong

CITRUS HEIGHTS, CA (MPG) - The annual Single Mom Strong (SMS) “Dinner for Donations” Chicken Pot Pie Fundraiser has started with pre-orders being accepted through Oct. 17 for pick on October 25th at the center.

“Single Mom Strong started its annual chicken pot pie fundraiser in 2020 in response to the COVID epidemic, offering a ready-to-bake, tasty meal for families, all while helping a worthy cause,” Taylor said.

“This simple dinner solution makes a huge impact on our organization,” she said. “This fundraiser is one of only two we host each year, and we welcome the public’s support each year to help make it successful.”

Taylor said each 9-inch take and bake, home-style chicken pot pie, which is made by hand from a traditional, church-inspired and tested recipe, serves 3 to 4 people.

A minimum donation of $25 for an individual pot pie is suggested by the non-profit to help the center empower single mothers and their children through a wide variety of individual enrichment, encouragement and educational programs, Taylor said.

In 2024, the Empowerment Center, by Single Mom Strong provided 15,500 hours of childcare for school age children, a 60 percent increase over the previous year. Seventy-six children also attended affordable preschool or infant/toddler care, the center reported.

“You may want to purchase one pie for yourself, and a second pot pie to donate, helping to feed a single mother's family dinner,” she said.

Visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dinner-for-donations-single-mom-strongs-chicken-pot-pie-fundraiser-tickets-1735834701319 to place a pot pie order for pick up or local delivery, she said.

Once the pre-order deadline closes, assembly crews and volunteers will begin their work in multiple shifts at Empowerment Center facility in Citrus Heights to roll out and prepare pastry crusts, filling each pie with a special mix of seasoned, diced chicken and freshly cut vegetable portions in a savory filling.

“We sold 180 pot pies during in 2020, and the public’s ongoing response and support of this annual fundraiser has grown every year since,” she said.

“We distributed 285 chicken pot pies last year, raising nearly $6,000 for our organization. And this year we hope to cross the 300-pie threshold with their generous support.”

“It’s quite an assembly line, and all our volunteers admittedly have a lot of fun in carefully preparing each and every pie,” Taylor said.

The completed pies are then refrigerated and ready for drive-up or home delivery. Taylor said home delivery is offered with a paid pre-order of five or more pies, within 20 miles of the center of the city of Citrus Heights.

“Many of the single moms who participate in the Empowerment Center programs also help with home deliveries,” Taylor said.

Chicken pot pie orders will be available for pickup in the Single Mom Strong Empowerment Center parking lot at 7525 Auburn Blvd., Suite 5 on Saturday, October 25th from 12:30 to 3 p.m.

The Empowerment Center, by Single Mom Strong, and the EmpowerME Preschool & Childcare is located at 7525 Auburn Blvd., Suite 5, Citrus Heights. For more information call 916-735-5350 or visit: https://www.singlemomstrong.org.