Project Bread’s 56th Walk for Hunger Aims to Raise $1.3 Million

On Sunday, May 5, more than 3,500 participants joined Project Bread’s 56th annual Walk for Hunger. This year, the event aims to bring in $1.3 million to fight food insecurity statewide. Funds raised will go toward improving food access for all children and families across the Commonwealth.

“Each year, the Walk brings together thousands of people in Massachusetts for a common purpose,” said Erin McAleer, Project Bread’s CEO. “Every dollar raised and every Walker who participates today makes a huge difference in our year-round work. It’s a tangible impact. At last year’s Walk, we were focused on making school meals free for all children permanently. This year, that’s a reality.”

Project Bread’s Walk for Hunger, which began in 1969 as the first pledge walk in the nation, celebrates and raises awareness of the nonprofit’s year-round efforts to fight hunger. This year’s 3-mile route on the Boston Common was accessible for all ages and ability levels. Walkers participated in family-friendly activities, including lawn games, face painting, arts and crafts, and more. Project Bread’s Chef Sherry Hughes opened the morning with a Grains & Greens recipe demonstration with WROR 105.7 station hosts Bob & LBF. Live performances by bands What She Said and Bad Bat kept Walkers entertained throughout the morning. Families learned about Project Bread’s role in the recently launched Make Hunger History coalition, a first-of-its-kind convening of policymakers, businesses, service providers, and people with lived experience to end hunger in Massachusetts permanently.

“We rely on the funds raised through the Walk for Hunger to make our work possible,” says McAleer. “We’ve made great strides—but there’s still too many people in Massachusetts who aren’t sure where their next meal is coming from. We have an ambitious goal of $1.3 million—and we’re still working to reach it. We need the public’s support to help us make a difference for the 1 in 5 families with kids who are worrying about putting food on the table.”

During the event, Project Bread presented its most distinguished award, the Patrick Hughes Award for Social Justice, to Greg Wilmot, President & CEO of the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center. Wilmot was honored for his leadership of the state’s largest community-based primary care provider in Massachusetts, his passion and dedication to the community, and his deep commitment to addressing food insecurity as part of healthcare. The award recognizes an individual with an unyielding commitment to driving meaningful change by addressing the causes of hunger, thus carrying forward the spirit of the event’s founder, Patrick Hughes.

“As a longtime participant in this walk, this is a special moment for me. I am honored to carry forward the legacy of Patrick Hughes, a social justice advocate who believed that people united together for a common purpose can inspire change,” shared Wilmot, during his remarks on Walk Day. “I am proud of EBNHC’s work to address food insecurity and thankful to have innovative partners like Project Bread who share our belief that access to healthy and nutritious food is not only a right, but essential to the health and wellbeing of our patients and our community.”

In keeping with the community-spirit of the event, the Walk also provides a platform for other organizations to fund the vital work they do for food security locally. In 2019, Project Bread launched a joint fundraising program, The Commonwealth, to uplift the work of community-based organizations. This year, 39 nonprofits participated in the program, raising more than $172,849 and counting.

Fundraising will continue through the summer with the goal of raising $1.3 million. As of now, that goal has not been reached. Visit www.projectbread.org/walk to donate or start a personal fundraiser to support this mission.

People experiencing food insecurity should call Project Bread’s FoodSource Hotline (1-800-645-8333), which provides confidential, free assistance getting connected to a variety of food resources in 180 languages and for the hearing impaired. Counselors can pre-screen families and help them to apply for SNAP. Learn more at www.projectbread.org/get-help.

About Project Bread

Project Bread is the leading statewide food security organization in Massachusetts. Beginning in 1969 with the first Walk for Hunger, the nonprofit focuses on driving systemic change to ensure people of all ages have reliable access to healthy food. Project Bread works collaboratively across sectors to create innovative solutions to end hunger and improve lives across the Commonwealth. For more information, visit: www.projectbread.org.