Women in Medicine hosted Sunday the third annual Hungry for Hope bake-off benefiting the Marbridge Foundation, a community for adults with mental disabilities.

Various student organizations baked pastries, including Oreo truffles, chocolate and Nutella cream puffs, scones, and razzleberry cheesecake that went along with the British tea party theme. Event attendees donated any sum of money to desserts they liked and the team who raised the most money won a baking hand mixer. The event raised a total of $1,200. 

All of the proceeds went toward the Marbridge Foundation, a nonprofit residential community that houses adults varying from the age of 18 to the end of life. Women in Medicine has been volunteering with the foundation for the past two years, said Joanna Ma, club external vice president and nutrition senior.

“We’re so excited for the turn out and the opportunity to help [Marbridge], and we thought the bake-off is an easy and accessible way to get students to come together,” Ma said.

 Women in Medicine is a student founded organization that encourages and supports the medical interests of UT pre-health students by providing fellowship and support to members, according to the group’s website.

Marbridge Volunteer Coordinator Haley Koop said she was pleased with the student turn out and success of the event

“It was mind-blowing to have such an amazing group be moved to give us their time volunteering and to help us raise funds,” said Koop. “These are two huge things we heavily rely on as a nonprofit, and we are so impressed by them.”

The event inspired a few members of the Filipino Students Association to get involved, said Micheal Heidari, PSA community vice president and nutrition sophomore.

“This excited our club members because we all love baking and we thought the charity was really amazing,” said Heidari. “Its an easy and nice way to get together and do something good. So, our club members met at the Jester dorm kitchen and baked brownies.”

The bake-off concept appeals to university students and allows them to learn more about a local nonproft, Koop said. 

“The bake-off is different and it gets a young population involved in an easier way.” Koop said. “It’s great exposure, and it shows students that a non-profit that is so special and different is really close to the
UT campus.”