Project Bread Raises $1M to Fight Food Insecurity During Annual Walk for Hunger

As citizens across Massachusetts face increasing food insecurity concerns, more than 4,500 people showed up on Sunday, May 4, to participate in the 57th annual Walk for Hunger.

The annual fundraising event supports anti-hunger initiatives throughout the commonwealth. Participants walked a three-mile loop around the Boston Common and were treated to a cooking demonstration, food from local vendors, presentations from guest speakers, and live music.

According to a Boston Herald report, Project Bread, in partnership with more than 50 organizations involved in anti-hunger efforts, met its $1 million fundraising goal. The funds will support programs such as Project Bread's toll-free FoodSource hotline and more than 1,400 meal sites for kids, as well as advocacy, community engagement, and research initiatives.

“Right now, about one in five families, or 20% of families in Massachusetts, are food insecure,” Project Bread's president and CEO Erin McAleer told the Boston Herald. “Those are levels that we saw during the pandemic back in May of 2020. And the reason for it is just cost of living inflation. People are really struggling to get by.”

Organizations that provide food for others are also struggling. According to WBUR, the Greater Boston Food Bank reported it is losing more than $2 million in emergency food provisions due to reductions in U.S. Department of Agriculture funding. 

WBUR spoke with Nicoletta Giardina, head of the First Congregational Church of Revere Food Pantry, who said that these funding cuts have forced the pantry to reduce the number of people served.

McAleer called Sunday's support from members of the community in raising money and lobbying their legislators “huge.” She noted that although Project Bread met its fundraising goal, rising food costs and proposed cuts for federal food assistance programs motivate the organization to keep raising funds.

“What's really scary is we already have a hunger crisis,” McAleer added. “We're expecting it to get worse, but the very supports that are meant to help people during these types of challenging times are on the chopping block right now.”

Beasley Media Group Boston is a proud partner of Project Bread and the Walk for Hunger.