Community Members Launch Bake Sale on September 14
Photo courtesy of Leven Deli
Cooking for Culture celebrates the rich culinary traditions of Colorado’s immigrant and refugee communities. One hundred percent of proceeds to benefit local nonprofits
DENVER (August 14, 2025)—As daughters of Thai, Chinese, and Taiwanese immigrants and members of Denver’s media and culinary communities, Patricia Kaowthumrong and Chea Franz are launching a community bake sale in response to the many policy changes that continue to threaten marginalized communities across the U.S. on Sunday, September 14 at 10 a.m. at M.E. Deli and Wednesday Ellie, two new concepts opening soon at 4140 W. 38th Ave. and located next door to American Elm.
The Cooking for Culture community bake sale will feature a variety of baked goods from local community members, bakeries, and restaurants. One hundred percent of proceeds will benefit Kaizen Food Rescue, a Denver-based nonprofit founded on the principle that food is a human right, and the Rocky Mountain Immigration Advocacy Network (RMIAN), which provides free immigration legal and social services to children and detained adults in need.
"From our kitchens to a just world, this bake sale serves as a reminder that food can be an act of resistance and solidarity for Colorado’s immigrant and refugee communities,” says Kaowthumrong. “We're proud to celebrate the flavors of the communities that make our state such a vibrant place to live while raising critical support for organizations doing life-saving work.”
Year to date, Kaizen has redistributed 17.5 million pounds of fresh and culturally appropriate foods to more than 400,000 households in the Denver metro area. The communities that Kaizen targets typically experience food insecurity, and are primarily BIPOC, immigrant, refugee, and low-income households affected by system inequities. The organization, which does food justice advocacy work as well, also grows food in their own community garden and food forest.
“I’m used to working in chaotic situations. Chaos is my vibe. I grew up in a refugee camp,” says Kaizen Co-Founder Thai Nguyen. “This feels worse than the pandemic.”
Damaging policy changes from the Trump administration has made Kaizen’s mission more urgent and even more difficult. More than 80 percent of the population that it serves, primarily Latin American communities, have been heavily impacted by current immigration policy changes. These communities are afraid to leave their homes to pick up food for their families.
RMIAN celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, providing free immigration legal services to vulnerable individuals and families navigating the immigration system, including detained adults, asylum seekers, and unaccompanied immigrant children. Increased detention, narrowed asylum pathways, and efforts to dismantle legal protections under the Trump Administration have made RMIAN’s work extremely challenging but essential because these changes directly harm immigrant families, making it harder for them to stay together, feel safe, or find stability. With demand for immigration legal services in Colorado surging, many will be forced to face detention and deportation without due process.
“RMIAN’s work is founded in the belief that everyone should have equal access to justice,” says RMIAN Executive Director Mekela Goehring. “The immigrant community is being targeted in hateful ways right now. This is the moment for us all to stand up for the rights of all of our community members.”
The Cooking for Culture community bake sale occurs on Sunday, September 14 at 10 a.m. and will go on until goods sell out. The bake sale is located at the soon-to-open M.E. Deli and Wednesday Ellie (4140 W. 38th Ave. Denver, CO 80212) in Denver’s Northside, a neighborhood that was once home to immigrants dating back to the late 1800s. Its history mirrors the purpose of Cooking for Culture’s purpose of resilience, contribution, and community power.
This event is inspired by Katie Knoch, Sarah Abell, and Liliana Myers, the dynamic team behind the Pro Roe Bake Sale. Save the date! Their next bake sale, which benefits Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, will be April 2026.
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About Cooking for Culture
Cooking for Culture is a celebration of the cultures and stories brought to Colorado by immigrant and refugee communities whose traditions are often preserved through recipes, food rituals, and gatherings. As policy changes continue to threaten marginalized communities throughout the U.S., Cooking for Culture seeks to stand in resistance by preserving, uplifting, and protecting our shared cultures by launching a community bake sale on September 14, 2025. From our kitchens to a more just world, 100 percent of proceeds will support Kaizen Food Rescue and the Rocky Mountain Immigration Advocacy Network. To learn more about this community activation, follow Cooking for Culture on Instagram.