Hurricane Gonzalo brought chef Janelle Williams enough avocados that she could have fed on guacamole for the month.

Instead, she formulated a plan to give back to the community.

Miss Williams, a chef at The Docksider Pub & Restaurant, is today selling 500 loaves of avocado bread at Supermart in Hamilton. All proceeds raised from the sale will go towards an organisation close to her heart, Young Life Bermuda.

The non-denominational Christian outreach programme aims to help young people mature in their faith.

Her plan yesterday was to bake straight from 7pm until 7am.

“I try to always set big goals for myself and wanted to raise $5,000 for my charity,” she said. “That meant I needed to bake 500 loaves — at least 50 an hour.

“We have two ovens on standby at my friends’ houses just in case something goes wrong and I run out of gas at my house. I also have two helpers who will be working with me through the night.”

She said she would drink plenty of coffee to keep awake, but was motivated by her desire to help.

“I’m determined to reach my goal because I know it’s going to a worthy cause and will make a big difference,” she said.

“Young Life offers various after-school programmes and camps for young people and they also go to schools to share about the events and programmes they offer.

“I went there as a child and it helped me a lot. They were sharing about Jesus Christ, but not in a way where you felt you were being lectured to. It helped me to understand the message more on a one-to-one basis.

“It was also more like a family and they treated me like I belonged, not just like another number or a child.”

Young Life director Kevin Mahoney said it meant a lot that a past student wanted to support them.

“We are very grateful, especially considering this was an initiative and an idea of her own and she has decided that she wanted to give back a little to Young Life,” he said. “Janelle has voiced numerous times how Young Life played an important role in her life at a very crucial time and as a mission we were there for her and she felt welcome and accepted and found it to be a safe place.”

The avocado bread loaves will be on sale today for $10 each at Supermart on Front Street.

Miss Williams plans to later blog about the experience and post the avocado recipe online at www.jfusionist.blogspot.com.