A Creamy Peanut Butter Pie Stirs a Meaningful Movement

As far as online communities go, food bloggers have a bond that runs deep. That’s why this community responded en masse when blogger Jennifer Perillo lost her husband, Mike, to a sudden heart attack in August of this year. With two daughters, ages 3 and 8, to raise alone, Jennie’s devastation was unimaginable, and her challenges undeniable. Through her blog, In Jennie’s Kitchen, Perillo long expressed her love of food and of her family, offering recipes alongside stories and reflections on life. When Perillo shared news of the tragedy on her blog, she included a recipe for Creamy Peanut Butter Pie—Mike’s favorite. She asked the community to bake a pie in his honor. They did her one better. Snapshots of fresh-baked pies began flooding blogs and Twitter feeds, using the hashtag #afundforjennie, and the Mikey’s Peanut Butter Pie movement even made headlines. Soon donations began pouring in from real-life friends and online acquaintances alike. Bloggers started online auctions with proceeds going to Jennie and her children. And Perillo bravely continues to blog, not only recipes but her raw emotions, thoughts, fears and gratitude for the emotional and financial support through this difficult time. This effort spurred forth the nonprofit organization Bloggers without Borders, which works to unite bloggers and their readers to raise awareness and aid in the aftermath of tragic events like Perillo’s. —Eva Meszaros

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