The following announcement was provided by Project Bread:
On May 5, the Watertown Food Pantry will be among over 3,500 participants to lace up for Project Bread’s 56th annual Walk for Hunger. For the fourth consecutive year, the Watertown based nonprofit will raise money to support statewide food security through the Commonwealth Program.
The Commonwealth gives organizations addressing food insecurity 60 percent of all funds they raise to support their own hunger relief programs, with the remaining 40 percent applied to Project Bread’s statewide food security effort. To date, Project Bread has awarded over $12,550 to the Watertown Food Pantry.
Beginning in 1969, as the first pledge walk in the nation, Project Bread’s Walk for Hunger brings together a diverse community dedicated to creating change. The one-day event is set for Sunday, May 5 at 9 a.m. on the Boston Common and will feature family-friendly activities, programming, and games. Project Bread works year-round across policy initiatives, programs, and hunger prevention measures to ensure food access for all children and families across the Commonwealth.
“We have made incredible strides against hunger, from the passage of permanent free school meals in Massachusetts to increasing access to SNAP for immigrants facing food insecurity,” says Erin McAleer, Project Bread’s CEO. “But hunger is still a pervasive problem in our state, with 1 in 6 households and 1 in 5 households with children currently facing food insecurity. The work Watertown Food Pantry does reflects what the Walk is all about – continuing to step up each year to make sure our neighbors in need can access and afford food. The Watertown Food Pantry Walk team understands how we need to work together for statewide food security because our community is what makes us stronger.”
The Watertown Food Pantry works to feed hungry people at no cost to them. Administered by the Watertown Council on Aging, the pantry provides food assistance to any Watertown resident in need on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The pantry is located at the rear of the Belmont Watertown United Methodist Church at 80 Mt. Auburn St. Their Walk for Hunger Commonwealth team hopes to raise $4,000 to support food security in Massachusetts.
“I have been doing the Walk for nearly 30 years and working with the Watertown Food Pantry since 2010. Yet, hunger still exists, despite my efforts and the efforts of thousands of others over the past 50+ years,” says Gerry Missal, Watertown Food Pantry volunteer. “The funds we raise today will benefit so many individuals, families, and children to come, and each year, I hope to be able to say it’s my last Walk for Hunger because we’ve achieved our mission. This is how we can all come together to end hunger in Massachusetts.”
Money raised through the Walk for Hunger is critical to Project Bread’s statewide work for systemic change through the levers of policy, prevention, and partnerships to ensure people of all ages have reliable access to healthy food. Project Bread launched the joint-fundraising Commonwealth Program in 2019. In 2023, 34 nonprofits raised more than $160,000 to support their own programs for statewide food security.
To register as a participant for Project Bread’s Walk for Hunger, or to support a walker or team with a donation, visit projectbread.org/walk or email walk@projectbread.org. Donate directly to the Watertown Food Pantry Commonwealth team at give.projectbread.org/team/564204. There is no registration fee or fundraising minimum to participate, although a $250 minimum goal is suggested. Participants who raise $500 or more are recognized as Heart & Sole walkers and receive access to personalized fundraising support, exclusive event gear and invitations to events.
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.
About Watertown Food Pantry
The Watertown Council on Aging administers the Watertown Food Pantry, which provides food assistance to any Watertown resident in need. The Food Pantry, which is open only on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., is located at the rear of the Belmont-Watertown United Methodist Church at 80 Mt. Auburn St. The entrance to the Food Pantry is around the left corner of the church (formerly St. John’s) from the parking lot at the side of the building, basement level. Look for the Watertown Food Pantry signs. Residents are welcome to visit twice per month. For more information, visit: https://www.watertown-ma.gov/330/Watertown-Food-Pantry.
Thank you to the Council on Aging, the Watertown Food Pantry, and Project Bread for providing this important service to Watertown residents. “In 2023, 34 nonprofits raised more than $160,000 to support their own programs for statewide food security.” This is an impressive number and goes a long way to helping those living with food insecurity.
Thank you to the WMN for highlighting this important story.