Rose’s Bounty Hits the Pavement for Project Bread’s Walk for Hunger

WEST ROXBURY, Mass. – On May 7, Rose’s Bounty will be among over 3,000 participants to lace up for Project Bread’s 55th annual Walk for Hunger. For the 2nd consecutive year, the West Roxbury-based nonprofit will raise money to fight hunger. They are participating in The Commonwealth Program, which gives organizations addressing food insecurity 60% of all funds they have raised to support their own hunger relief programs, with the remaining 40% applied to Project Bread’s statewide anti-hunger effort. Last year, Project Bread awarded $16,000 to Rose’s Bounty.

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. On Sunday May 7th, the annual fundraiser returns to Boston Common after 3 years of being virtual due to COVID-19 safety precautions. This rite of passage for people in Massachusetts returns in its 55th year with a shorter route and a fresh look. The mission of the time-honored tradition will never change. The fundraising goal this year is over $1 million dollars.

“Right now, 1 in every 5 households with children in Massachusetts is struggling without enough to eat,” according to Erin McAleer, CEO of statewide anti-hunger organization Project Bread. She notes the number of families with children unable to afford food among Black, brown, and immigrant households, it’s disproportionately higher. “Hunger in Massachusetts is simply unacceptable,” McAleer says. “This is a solvable problem but every single one of us needs to do our part. We all must take action. The work Rose’s Bounty does reflects what The Walk is all about—stepping up to benefit our friends, neighbors, and family members in Massachusetts who cannot meet the most basic of human needs: food. The Rose’s Bounty walk team understands hunger is an injustice and they are doing something about it. That is powerful.”

With open hearts and helping hands, Rose’s Bounty is a growing community of living kindness that serves those facing food insecurity and those giving their time, talent, and treasure to neighbors in need. The food pantry delivers food to people who are homebound and veterans with disabilities, while also providing support to students facing food insecurity. Through their open food pantry and pop-ups, they serve all ages and over 800 people each month, ordering 11,000 pounds of food a week from the Greater Boston Food Bank. The open food pantry serves neighbors in West Roxbury, Roslindale, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain and Mattapan. The team hopes to raise $20,000 this year in Project Bread’s 55th Walk for Hunger. Funds raised from the walk will go toward the purchasing of food for the organization’s programs.

“The Walk for Hunger is a great way to remind people that food insecurity exists in this state,” says Darra Slagle, Executive Director of Rose’s Bounty. “We are one of the richest states in the country, and there is a ridiculously high percentage of families that face food insecurity. It’s an ugly truth. Project Bread is crucial to our mission. We strive to provide a lot of fresh produce, meat and dairy as these tend to be the most expensive items at the market.”

Money raised through the Walk for Hunger is critical to Project Bread’s statewide work to ensure kids reliably have enough to eat, provide one-on-one support for individuals and families who need food assistance, and work to prevent hunger in the first place by eliminating barriers to resources and implementing policies that make food more accessible. In keeping with the community-spirit of the event, the Walk also provides a platform for organizations, like Rose’s Bounty, to fund the vital work they do fighting hunger locally. The Commonwealth, a joint fundraising program, Project Bread launched in 2019. In 2022, 36 nonprofits raised more than $123,000 to support their own programs.

This year’s event will include remarks by McAleer as well as family-friendly activations on the Boston Common, such as live music, photo booths, giveaways and raffle prizes, lawn games, and a Kids’ Zone with balloon animals and face painting. Families with kids, community groups, individuals, and teams of corporate employees are encouraged to find creative ways to fundraise and join us on Boston Common for the new 3-mile route and for an exciting day of celebration. Project Bread will continue to engage virtual participants this year, inviting anyone interested to register and walk their own way from wherever they are.

To register as a participant for Project Bread’s The Walk for Hunger, or to support a walker or team with a donation, visit projectbread.org/walk or call (617) 723-5000.There is no registration fee or fundraising minimum to participate. 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 into Project Bread’s toll-free FoodSource Hotline (1-800-645-8333), which provides confidential assistance to connect with food resources, including SNAP benefits, in 180 languages and for the hearing impaired. For more information, visit: www.projectbread.org/get-help.

About Project Bread

Project Bread is the leading statewide anti-hunger 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 Rose’s Bounty

Conceived in 2015, Rose’s Bounty has grown from a food pantry to a variety of programs geared to overcome barriers in accessing healthy food. Rose’s Bounty programs include delivery and pop-up food pantries for disabled veterans and those facing homelessness, elementary school children and their families, homebound neighbors, adult day care clients, seniors in public housing, and food pantries open to the public. For more information, visit: https://www.stratfordstreetunitedchurch.org/food-pantry.html