(No, we’re not auctioning off our Mom! We’re auctioning a cooking class for you and 5 friends!)
Last week, Mom wrote a post about our dear friend, Jennifer Perillo whose husband died suddenly from a heart attack. Through her grief, Jennie asked us all to do one thing: make peanut butter pie to honor her husband. And thousands of people did. It made the front page of CNN.com and Food Network. The restaurant Blue Smoke in New York City put Mikey’s Peanut Butter Pie on their menu for two weeks (I went and had it!). And Todd and Diane, in their inimitable way, made a beautiful video that made this a movement. There were hundreds, maybe thousands, of blog posts. Our Twitter streams were filled with pictures of that gorgeous pie accompanied by heart-felt words of love and support for Jennie and her girls. It was astounding.
But now it’s time to do something for Jennie. Jennie’s good friend, Shauna sent out an e-mail to the blogging community which initiated a campaign to raise money. She said:
As you can imagine, Jennie is overwhelmed not only by her grief, and the sudden responsibility of raising two children by herself, but she is also struggling with this financially. She just learned that she cannot collect widow’s benefits from Social Security because she earns too much money each year. The health insurance for her and her kids runs out in December and she just learned that the total she will have to pay will be more than her mortgage. It’s possible she’ll have to pay off the entire mortgage in one lump sum because the apartment was in his name alone.
And more than anything, Mikey wanted Jennie to continue living her dream of being a food writer. And he wanted to make sure his kids were taken care of well. That’s why he worked as hard as he did.
Erika and I also just launched Bloggers without Borders, a blogger-based nonprofit which is promoting all the auctions & fundraising efforts and collecting all the funds for Jennie’s campaign. There are two ways that you can help:
DONATE!
If you’d like to make a donation to a #afundforjennie, you can do so directly through the Bloggers without Borders Paypal account:
AUCTION!
Three Many Cooks is also donating a Pam Anderson cooking class/tasting menu in the New York city area to the highest bidder and 5 guests.
Date, location, and menu to be determined by Three Many Cooks and highest bidder. Also included–Pam’s six books, signed and personalized. New York Times bestsellers Perfect One-Dish Dinners and The Perfect Recipe for Losing Weight and Eating Great, Julia Child award winning, The Perfect Recipe, and James Beard Award nominees,How To Cook Without a Book and Perfect Recipes for Having People Over, as well as CookSmart. Book 7–Cook Without a Book: Meatless Meals (Rodale Press October 2011) will also be included in the package.
We’d love to cook with you and your friends!
Bidding starts at $500
Leave your bid in the comments section. If you’d like to remain anonymous, you don’t have to enter your real name. Just make sure the email address is correct (I am the only one who will see your email address) so I can find you after the auction.
Auction will end on Sunday, August 28, 2011 at exactly 11:59PM EST. I will contact you with details on how to complete the purchase.
And thank you for your support!
Not quite sure how the logistics would work on this one but I’m sure I’d be able to work something out…
I’ll start off at $500 🙂
What a great opportunity! I’d love to bid $550.
Well then, it looks like I’d better go to $600!
Whoop Whoop! Thanks, Kathryn!
I am going to 700!
YES! Jessica, you are awesome! If you win, we’re totally going to have the best cooking day EVER. FACT.
i’m pretty sure i know the answer, but i’m guessing travel to/from is up to the winners?
just want to make sure i’m thinking of everything 🙂
i love this idea!
Brandi! Travel to/from is up to the winner, but we promise…we’ll make it worth the trip 🙂
oh – one more question! sorry for all of them 🙂
do you know the dates of when the class will happen?
one more quick question! 🙂 are there set dates for the cooking class already?
Hey Maggy,
I made a donation as well, but I did not specify it go to #afundforjennie will you know?
Hey Brandy,
We haven’t set a date. Three Many Cooks and the highest bidder will decide when and where. And I want to clarify one thing. Somewhere I read the class would last all day. Our show is like a good movie–it’ll go about 2 hours and then we’ll eat, drink, and be merry!
OK… I will have to find 5 friends to travel to NYC. I can do that!! I bid $1000 for this awesome experience with Pam Anderson.
Someone beat that!
$1200.00 here!
Marilyn, if I win you can come!!!! Bring a friend as well 🙂 This is all for a good cause, and I would love to make new friends out of it. I just lost my husband a few weeks ago to the same thing. I can imagine what she is going through and I want to help out as much as I can!
Jessica, Marillyn! You have made my heart swell and my eyes tear. If neither of you won, I’d still want to find a way to meet you both and cook with you. But I hope one of you wins so that we can have a big party with friends, new and old in our kitchen. What a joy that would be.
Anyone that wants to bid and needs party-mates, I would happily join you! I pay in wine, cookies and hugs. 🙂
Woah. Swelling of heart times X. What incredible generosity and love!
You are all so incredible! And Jessica, I’m so sorry for your loss! You sound like an amazing person and I’m rooting for you! You’ll have an incredible day if you win!
This is a wonderful thing you are doing! Unfortunately, I live on the other side of world, but will donate to the fund. As a spokesperson for the American Heart Association (after my own experiences with stroke & heart surgery) I hope this also raises awareness around the important of knowing the signs of heart disease and stroke.
Aw! I’m way too far to bid(I’m in Africa)but I think that what you’re doing is incredible and I give you all my support. I’m sorry for your loss Jessica. Like Mike said you sound like an amazing person. I’m sure you’ll have a great day whoever win! XOXOXO
I’m so touch by last night’s dialogue, and I can’t wait for our little cooking adventure. I think it’s going to be very special!
I bid $1300 – such a nice gesture to help this young family…thanks for doing this!
I want to cry big fat tears right now at my desk. If I had the money I would bid high. I think everyone who bids and The Three cooks have some of the biggest hearts ever. You all should feel very good about yourselves. I know Jennie is going to love this.
1500.00 here!!!!
anyone in the hurricane?? I am in VA. Surviving here!! A little over 24 hours till the bidding is over.. who else whats to go?? Marilyn?? The offer still stands!! Email me apple4jess@msn.com!
Jessica! You are really showing us what this is all about. Love your spirit! I think I can say, “Looking forward to meeting you – and Marillyn!”
XO
Its been a month today since my love left. It helped so much knowing I was helping someone else who is going through the same thing as I. I would cry then laugh wondering if anyone else is bidding. I was around friends today, that was the only way I could have made it. Friends are amazing in life and I am lucky to have many!!
I hope I win and I hope to make new friends as well as have a great time.
Yay! Jessica, you won!!!!
YIPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
That is the coolest thing ever, wish I didn’t live so far away! Congrats Jessica on winning!
Such a good idea, such good friends! I lost my husband of 32 years on August 24, 2010 My life is forever changed. My heart is pained for your friend!