Bake Sale! Cooking for Culture Will Raise Funds for Immigrant Advocacy Nonprofits

Simple as it may seem, a good ol’ fashioned bake sale can make a meaningful impact. “I've always thought of food as a bridge,” says Patricia Kaowthumrong. “It really does foster understanding, to share food and share meals.” In response to the many policy changes threatening local marginalized communities, she and Chea Franz are hosting the first Cooking for Culture bake sale at 10 a.m. on Sunday, September 14 at Mile High Spirits.

All proceeds from the event will benefit Rocky Mountain Immigration Advocacy Network (RMIAN), which provides free legal and social services to children and adults in immigration detention, and Kaizen Food Rescue, a local nonprofit committed to supporting those experiencing food insecurity.

So far this year, the Kaizen Food Rescue has redistributed 17.5 million pounds of fresh and culturally appropriate foods to more than 400,000 metro area households affected by system inequities. More than 80 percent of the individuals it serves, primarily those in Latin American communities, have been heavily impacted by current immigration policy changes.

According to Kaowthumrong, the idea behind the bake sale “was very rooted in frustration — watching the news and seeing all of the headlines about ICE, and all of the policies impacting nonprofits that support immigrants and refugees on the Front Range.”

She affirms that both Rocky Mountain Immigration Advocacy Network and Kaizen Food Rescue have recently lost federal grant funding due to changes made by the Trump administration. Kaowthumrong notes that, “They’re stretched thinner than they already were, so they've had to limit their services,” such as fewer food distribution pop-ups from Kaizen.

She also cites the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a budget reconciliation package that passed in July. It represents what may be the most significant reductions to SNAP in history, which, in turn, places greater pressure on organizations like Kaizen Food Rescue. “When things get cut on the federal level, they will impact your local community — and in this case, I feel like a lot of things have been targeted on the immigrant and refugee communities,” says Kaowthumrong.

As daughters of Thai, Chinese and Taiwanese immigrants, she and Franz were compelled to address the mounting issue. “It felt more soothing to take action than to sit around scrolling, seeing headlines and just being devastated by the current state of affairs,” says Kaowthumrong.

Initially, she considered setting up her own humble table in the park to raise funds and awareness for the nonprofits. But after discussing the idea with Franz and a few others, it quickly grew into a larger initiative inspired by the Pro Roe bake sale, which takes place in Denver each April.

Individuals and the local restaurant industry responded enthusiastically to the idea — so much so that the Cooking for Culture community bake sale had to move from its original venue to a larger location. With little notice, Mile High Spirits offered to host all 25 food vendors and open its bar for this weekend’s event.

Priced at $5 per (cash or Venmo), tickets will grant entry to a prize raffle and allow guests to purchase items like corned beef and egg bao buns from MAKfam; strawberry chamomile jam bars and herb focaccia from JuJuBs Baked Goods; malted milk tahini brownies from Leven Deli Co.; and matcha white chocolate chip cookies from Kawa Ni. Other participating restaurants and bakeries include the Bindery, Yuan Wonton, Magna Kainan, Next Level Grill and more.

Kaowthumrong concludes, “I think the amount of interest is really a testament to how many people out there want to help these communities that were already in a place where they needed support — and now, need even more support.”

The Cooking for Culture community bake sale will occur at Mile High Spirits, 2201 Lawrence Street, at 10 a.m. on Sunday, September 14. To learn more, follow @cookingforcultureco on Instagram. To donate funds to the benefiting nonprofits, visit rmian.org and kaizenfoodrescue.org.