Tyler Wong

Text by FELICIA BUCHHOLZ and AJIN JEONG KEY TO GIVING BACK

JUNIOR PÂTISSIER BAKES PIES AND FUNDRAISES

AS THE CLINKING OF A whisk and bowl echoes throughout Palo Alto High School sophomore Tyler Wong’s kitchen, the sweet smell of crushed graham crackers and squeezed limes wafts through COVID,” Wong said. the air. Wong is preparing the ingredients Wong started off baking only three to for his popular pies — starting each one six key lime pies a week, donating his pies from scratch. to be sold at Ada’s Cafe, a local nonprofit

Though many students love baking in that supports people with disabilities. their free time, Wong has turned his hobby “I felt like it was a great organization to into a fundraising project and business. support,” Wong said. “Besides providing Wong first began baking for his friends and family when he was in the sixth grade, after watching baking contests such as the “My baking is a great way to show love for the community and jobs and teaching them [people with disabilities] and supporting them along the way, they [Ada’s Cafe] also Food Network’s “Kids Baking Championhelp the community and donate to larger nonprofits.” ship.” support the community Within two “I often brought baked goods like for all it’s given me and months, he jumped from baking up to cakes and ice cream to continue to give to 12 pies a week to for my classmates at school, which they’re other people.” baking up to 30. “That [increasalways happy about,” — TYLER WONG, junior ing the amount of Wong said. pies] really allowed

In August 2020, me to fundraise at a Wong started baking his famous key lime larger scale, and help my community more, pies from scratch using his secret recipe. along with doing something I really enjoy

“My mom suggested that I help do doing,” Wong said. something to fundraise money for people Wong also started his own business less fortunate that were heavily affected by called Ty’s Pies where he now sells his pies

SCOOP AND SPREAD — Palo Alto High School junior Tyler Wong fills pie crusts with key lime cream, all made from scratch. These pies are then donated or used to fundraise for the Ecumental Hunger Program. “I often think of how this money [donated funds] would go, what they do with this money,” Wong said. “With EHP, they use money to get food ... for people that can’t afford it.” Photo: Ajin Jeong for $30. “I sell the pies directly to customers through a form that I send out on Facebook, my Instagram and Nextdoor to reach my neighbors,” Wong said. Wong donates two-thirds of the profit from these direct orders to the Ecumenical Hunger Program. “The wonderful service they bring to everyone is something I haven’t seen in a lot of places,” he said. Wong says he has raised $7,000 for the EHP in two years as a coronavirus project, and plans to take his business even further. “I hope to expand to other restaurants and to some new varieties,” Wong said. “I’m creating some more pies to add to the menu, and they will release sometime soon.” Although baking pies requires eight hours per week, Wong tries to find time for it outside of his schoolwork, photography and basketball. “It [fundraising] makes me feel good,” Wong said. “My baking is a great way to show love for the community and help the community and support the community for all it’s given me and to continue to give to other people.” v