Moriarty FFA 2020 Benefit Pie. Photo courtesy of Moriarty FFA.

For more than three decades, the Moriarty FFA Chapter of New Mexico has lived the FFA motto “Living to Serve” through one of their most meaningful traditions: the annual Moriarty FFA Pie Auction. Since the beginning, this event has brought together families, alumni, community members, and supporters from all around the East Mountains and the Estancia Valley. Everyone gathers to bid on pies homemade by FFA members, and the raised funds help support chapter activities, leadership development, and student opportunities throughout the year.

But in the middle of all the excitement, laughter, and generous bidding, one pie stands out every year: the Benefit Pie.

Unlike the others, the Benefit Pie carries a mission far beyond supporting the chapter. Each year, Moriarty FFA members and alumni select a local individual or family who has faced tragedy or hardship, and every dollar raised from that single pie goes directly to them. What makes it even more powerful is that the Benefit Pie is often auctioned off again and again, sometimes selling three or four times in one night, increasing the final donation. Watching the total rise into the thousands reminds everyone in the room what community truly looks like.

To Moriarty FFA Advisor Kade Pittman, the event represents the best of who we are.

“The Moriarty Annual FFA Pie Auction and Benefit Pie is an entertaining evening for the community, which supports not only the benefit of someone in need, but also the Moriarty FFA Chapter,” he said.

The impact reaches far beyond the auction itself. One family who knows this firsthand is the Sandovals.

In 2020, Lexi Sandoval and her family were chosen as the Benefit Pie recipients following an unimaginable tragedy. She shared how the event became a symbol of hope during their darkest time.

“The Moriarty FFA Pie Auction exemplifies the FFA motto, Living to Serve. When we tragically lost our two teenage sons six years ago, not only did we grieve the loss of our boys, but their friends and our community did as well. In the ultimate act of selflessness and compassion, the Moriarty FFA Chapter decided to auction one of their pies in memory of our boys. The pie auction is not just a fundraiser; it’s a cherished annual event that we are all proud of.”

Sandoval shared that the gesture meant more to their family than words could express. The chapter members didn’t just honor their friends’ memories; they used the moment to give back to the entire community. The family decided to use the raised funds to add to the annual scholarship in honor of her sons.

From honoring loved ones to helping families rebuild, the Benefit Pie represents the heart of the Moriarty FFA community. It’s more than a dessert on an auction table; it’s a reminder that even something as simple as a pie can create opportunity, healing and hope.