54 Years of The Walk for Hunger: Neighbors, Communities, and Legislators Come Together in Anti-Hunger Efforts

Project Bread

The Walk For Hunger

THE WALK FOR HUNGER | MAY 1, 2022

On the first Sunday of May, Project Bread hosted the nonprofit’s 54th annual Walk for Hunger, held virtually for the third consecutive year, to raise funds to help get food assistance to kids and families across the Commonwealth

More than 1,600 virtual participants hit the pavement in their neighborhoods and rallied supporters to raise $1 million for the cause.

Saadia and Mohamad Ali with Erin McAleer of Project Bread on 2022 Walk Day
Project Bread - The Walk for Hunger 2022 - Greater Boston

But First, Thank you.

We need to start our story there, because without you, your help, and your friends, The Walk for Hunger would not be able to keep its strong pace for more than half a century. Thank you for 54 years of compassion and commitment to supporting hunger solutions in Massachusetts with us.

Above photo: Erin McAleer, President & CEO of Project Bread, stopped by the start of The Minuteman Trail in North Cambridge to say hello to top fundraiser for The 2022 Walk for Hunger, Saadia Ali with her father before beginning her 20 mile adventure.

Jose Juves, Kristina, and staff from Project Bread
Be careful who you walk into! Project Bread staff come across Jose Juves, The Walk for Hunger 15-year veteran, second from right

As of May 2, 2022

Over 1,600 participants all over the country came together to raise $879,000 to help their neighbors with food relief

We had about 100 more participants than in 2021! And we had over 660 new walkers this year. Welcome to the family!

As of May 2, 2022 we are on track to reach our $1 million fundraising goal for The Walk for Hunger.

Nourishing the North Shore Seed Sale for The Walk for Hunger

The Commonwealth

Amplifying Local Impact

The Commonwealth program, founded in 2019, shares 60% of a team’s fundraising with anti-hunger community partners of the team’s choice, with the remaining 40% going toward state-wise solutions.

This year, teams participating in The Commonwealth have raised $168,000 to date, and counting! 60% of which will be granted back to the fundraising organizations to support their local anti-hunger programs, including The Food Pantry at the Church of the Covenant in Boston, Rose’s Bounty in Roxbury, and Nourishing the North Shore in Newburyport, to name only a few!

35 anti-hunger organizations formed teams and fundraised as part of The Commonweath in 2022 - the most to date!

The Commonwealth Spotlight

"We share the same conviction as Project Bread that regular access to healthy food is each person's right and the foundation for vibrant communities. It's our honor to participate in The Walk for Hunger again and support Project Bread's critical grassroots and advocacy for food equity in Massachusetts.”

For the third consecutive year, the Lawrence-based nonprofit, Bread & Roses, laced up for The Walk for Hunger with their team participating in the event through The Commonwealth. To date, Project Bread has awarded $6,047 in grants to Bread & Roses through the Commonwealth.

"We recognize immigrants and people of color are disproportionately impacted by hunger due to economicinequity and health disparities—further exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis,” says Julia D'Orazio, Bread & Roses Development & Communications Manager. “With record unemployment, lost wages, and many having little-to-no savings to protect them from the economic impact ofthe pandemic, food insecurity has doubled to 1in 5 households in Mass. For Latinos, the number is nearly 1 in 3."

Project Bread hosted a virtual Livestream

Project Bread streamed live on Facebook Sunday morning, May 1, 2022 to bring participants together online before they head out to put their own spin on their virtual participation. The one-hour program brought on special guests to illustrate to participants how their fundraising and support alleviates hunger in MA.

We left our marks all over social media with #WalkForHunger and tagging @ProjectBread

Celebrating your virtual participation

You Were the Main Attraction

Walkers and teams across Massachusetts were featured in their newspapers and online news. The Newburyport News, The Patriot Ledger, and Patch.com are only a handful of news outlets where our walkers were featured.

Participant Spotlight

A Run of 100 miles

Nathan Lamb and his canine running mate, Penny, pledged to run 100 miles for his team, Team Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services. The Malden Advocate featured the pair and their team. The goal was to raise $1000 for The Walk for Hunger, which they did… then passed it… then ran circles around it again. By May 2, the group raised nearly $3,000. Congrats! We’d say that was a good run.

The virtual Walk for Hunger 2022
Nathan Lamb, Penny, and his team take a walk in Greater Boston

Team Captain Spotlight

Going twice the distance

Abi D’Amaro and her family and friends joined together for the team “Blisters for Bread.” With a goal of $5,000 ahead of them, they fundraised a little more than anticipated… striking over the mark of $10,000. "It saddens me to think about people not being able to afford to feed themselves and their families. The Walk is one way my family and I can help," D'Amaro said.

Project Bread Board Member Stacie O'Brien threw the first pitch at Harvard Softball Game

Walk Team Spotlight

Harvard Plays Ball

On Walk Day, the Harvard Softball Team played a charity game at Soldier's Field to benefit Project Bread. Project Bread Board Member and walker, Stacie O'Brien, even stepped up to the mound to throw the first pitch! 

And more...

In the news

Team Trinity Church in Boston
You can still support the Walk!
Be a Walk Hero: Little girl wears a Walk for Hunger bandana as a cape and beams at camera

Make Your Difference Today

Your donation to The 54th Walk for Hunger will help us grow and implement solutions to food insecurity across Massachusetts in the year to come so more families can access and afford food with dignity.

Donations and personal fundraisers will continue to be made through June 30, 2022.

Upcoming Event | May 5, 2022 at 10am

Join us for Advocacy Training 101: How to Fight Hunger with Advocacy

The Walk for Hunger has deep roots in social justice—that’s because we know it takes more than food to fight hunger. After you hang up your sneakers from the Walk, join Victoria Martins, the Advocacy Manager at Project Bread, for a virtual Advocacy 101 training on how you can get involved policy work to make long-term, systemic change in Massachusetts.

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