SHS Senior's Community Service Award Is A 'Pie in the Sky'

The seriously ill receive meals for a week each November thanks to some students.

Senior Matthew Hershfield, among the latest organizers of the "Pie in the Sky" fundraiser at SHS, just got one of eight apples awarded statewide for community service.

The national 16th annual Prudential Spirit of Community Awards named Hershfield among six Distinguished Finalists in Massachusetts. Two other students are the state honorees.

The nationwide program recognizes youths for outstanding volunteerism. Prudential Financial runs it in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals.

Hershfield, 17, "has raised between $5,000 and $7,000 annually with the 'Pie in the Sky' fundraiser to support Community Servings, an organization that provides meals to people who are too sick to shop or cook for themselves. In his freshman year, Matthew volunteered to prepare food and sell pies, and has since become his school's coordinator working toward raising awareness of health, hunger and poverty issues in his community outside of Boston," according to the awards' press release.

Hershfield will receive an engraved bronze medallion -- one he wishes that he didn't get alone.

Sharon High seniors Samantha Wasserman and Megan Blatchford and sophomore Tess Berkowitz also coordinated the high school's "Pie in the Sky" efforts this year, Sharon High's 12th year with the program, Hershfield tells Sharon Patch.

"I think they should be recognized, since they were always with me," he says.

Every November, "Pie in the Sky" sells pies for $25, which supports a week's worth of home-delivered meals provided by Community Servings. The donor gets the pie, which was donated by "Boston's best restaurants, bakeries, caterers and hotels," according to the "Pie in the Sky" website.

Hershfield said he got involved through his sister, who had helped coordinate SHS' program for the Jamaica Plain-based nonprofit.

"I felt like I had a responsibility to help keep this going," he said.

That responsibility transcends fundraising, Hershfield said.

Hershfield said he enjoys "actually working with the people I'm actually raising money for" in Greater Boston.

"You don't realize it's 20 minutes away," he said.

Community Servings CEO David Waters sent a congratulatory e-mail after the community service awards were announced, Hershfield said.

Hershfield said he applied to the award program in November after seeing information about it around school.

"It's quite an honor to be recognized for my work with Community Servings," he said.

The news surprised him.

Principal Jose Libano called him to his office to share it.

"I was trying to figure out what I did wrong," Hershfield said.

Absolutely nothing.