Duke School Under the Oak Magazine, Fall 2020

Finding Purpose in a Pandemic
Alumni Ava Claar and Rachel Pellom ’20 turn baking into a fundraising
enterprise benefiting Durham’s Interfaith Food Shuttle.
While many of us bemoaned the “lost” summer
of 2020, recent Duke School graduates Ava
Claar and Rachel Pellom ‘20 turned their
pandemic-imposed staycations into a “Baking
for Change” enterprise that netted over $4,100
benefiting Durham’s Interfaith Food Shuttle.
“I've always wanted to do something like this
to help,” said Ava. “It was this whole idea of, ‘I
have been provided with this time under very
unlikely circumstances. So, what am I going to
do with it to make a difference and make an
impact?’”
Inspired by her cousin who launched a similar
baking fundraiser, Ava recruited her friend Rachel
as her baking partner. Together they baked and
delivered over 60 loaves of sourdough, banana,
and pumpkin breads and blueberry yogurt
pound cakes to neighbors, friends and family
during the month of July. Customers donated
directly to the “Baking for Change” fundraising
page on the Food Shuttle website.
“It was a lot of baking … and a lot of trips to the
grocery store,” added Rachel.
Choosing an organization to help was
challenging as they both are passionate about
many causes.
“It was really hard to narrow it down to one,” said
Ava. “Now more than ever, people need food,
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