Press Release: 5/6/2025
The 57th Walk for Hunger: Our Community Unites Against Hunger
Olivia Deng
The Walk For Hunger
The force was with us on May the 4th for Project Bread's 57th Walk for Hunger. Upwards of 3,000 people of different ages, backgrounds, and walks of life gathered on Boston Common for a united mission to fight hunger and build a food-secure future in Massachusetts. Hundreds more participated from around the world. The Walk for Hunger was a powerful reminder of the impact of community banding together.
Participant Tim Garvin says it best. "Today we came together. We showed what community looks like. In these days of divisiveness, you [Project Bread] build community."
Whether you walked, fundraised, volunteered, or cheered us on from afar, thank you for being part of this incredible movement. We’ve already raised over $1.1 million to feed kids and protect food access in Massachusetts, and that support goes far beyond one day!
By fundraising, you're helping families across Massachusetts afford groceries, ensuring kids eat nutritious school meals, and making it possible for our neighbors to access the food they need with dignity.
WHAT IS THE WALK FOR HUNGER?
The Walk for Hunger is the longest-running pledge walk in the US, founded in 1969 by a group of activists from the Paulist Center led by Patrick Hughes. Approximately 2,000 individuals embarked on a remarkable 29.6-mile journey through Quincy, raising an impressive $26,000 to support two vital hunger projects.
Today, The Walk for Hunger is a 3-mile walk on Boston Common, raising funds to combat food insecurity in Massachusetts.
"The Walk for Hunger is more than a fundraiser — it's a movement born of the belief that every single person in Massachusetts should be able to feed themselves and their families," says Erin McAleer, Project Bread's President & CEO. "We're facing a crisis point. A food prices soar and federal support for critical programs hangs in the balance. The Walk is a vital call to action. Every ingle person walking, fundraising, donating, and taking action is raising their voice to stand against the injustice of hunger."
Highlight's From This Year's Walk
PROJECT BREAD'S INAUGURAL COUNCIL OF EXPERTS COHORT RECEIVES THE 2025 PATRICK HUGHES AWARD FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE
During the Opening Ceremony, Project Bread CEO Erin McAleer presented the prestigious Patrick Hughes Award for Social Justice to the organization’s inaugural Council of Experts—a powerful group of ambassadors with lived experience of food insecurity in Massachusetts. Attending honorees Paula Andrea Tobon, Giovanny Zuniga, Levenia Furusa, Kelly Russell, and Elsa Flores were celebrated not only for their leadership in policy, research, communications, and community engagement, but for embodying the future of systemic change, ensuring that those who have experienced the injustice of hunger firsthand are actively shaping the policies and strategies meant to address it.
“The [Patrick Hughes Award for Social Justice] serves as proof that vulnerability is strength and not a weakness. It is proof that our voices have power,” shared Kelly Russell in live remarks during the event. “Our experience living or working in the gap and overcoming those challenges has meaning and should be present and accounted for at every phase of policy making. It is evidence that education is not only found in a book. I could not be more proud to be standing here and sharing this award with this amazing group of change makers that I am privileged to call my colleagues and friends!”
Elsa Flores gives her speech in her native language, Spanish, on the stage
LONG-TIME WALKERS KEEP GOING
The Walk for Hunger saw some familiar faces. Mary Walling, who helped found our first Walk for Hunger, returned this year to keep her nearly six-decade streak going.
This Walk was Wayne Zafft’s 42nd. He sported his impressive button collection on his hat. “I plan to do it as long as I can,” he said.
Andy Lange, who wears a vest decked out with buttons from his 33 years of participating in The Walk for Hunger, made his laps around Boston Common.
Ruth Goodman has been walking for 35 years. “I started walking with my 43-year-old daughter when she was 5 and we walked for many years together because no one should be hungry and I can't stand the idea of people not having enough food,” she said.
A NEW GENERATION OF ANTI-HUNGER ACTIVISTS JOINED THE WALK
As long-time walkers marched on, we welcomed a new generation of anti-hunger activists.
Kathleen Chiong, a Boston Public School teacher, leads Campassion, a summer camp comprised of kids aged 8 and above. “It’s super fun. This is also the first time that my campers get to meet each other before the summer starts and I think it’s really amazing when kids get to see that they’re walking alongside adults versus following them because it really makes them feel like they’re making a big change as part of a bigger community,” she said.
$20,000 MATCH ANNOUNCED ON STAGE
This year's Walk comes at an urgent time for Massachusetts families facing hunger. Nearly a fifth of people in Massachusetts are struggling to afford groceries, while the very programs that ensure families have enough to eat are under attack. Project Bread’s event brought together families, local leaders, advocates, and longtime supporters to sound the alarm and protect the programs that help people put food on the table. Project Bread Board of Directors Chair Pete Levangie and his wife Enid announced a $20,000 fundraising incentive on Sunday morning, matching each donation dollar for dollar made throughout the morning. Walkers rose to the challenge. With the match opportunity expiring at 12pm Sunday, thanks to the generosity of so many, we met the match with some time to spare at 11:30am.
You can still give now to help us advocate for people’s right to access and afford food with dignity.
Donate to Support Our Fight Against Hunger
WALKERS PLEDGED TO MAKE HUNGER HISTORY
The event provided a family-friendly opportunity for thousands in Massachusetts to get involved in this fight. The Make Hunger History Campaign, launched last year, had a strong presence at the Policy Station hosted by Spencer Masterson, Director of Make Hunger History. Attendees showed their enthusiasm for the cause, with over 200 walkers adding their name to the pledge board, pledging to Make Hunger History.
Immediately after the Walk, Council of Experts members flew down to Washington, D.C., where some joined an expert panel alongside Project Bread’s Director of Public Policy, Leran Minc, during the National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference. This moment underscored Massachusetts’ national leadership in food justice, with Project Bread modeling what it means to work in authentic partnership with people whose lived experience is their expertise.
This is more than symbolic in a time when civic voices—particularly in policymaking and government affairs—are being silenced or sidelined. It’s transformative. These Council members aren’t just part of the conversation—they’re bringing the realities of hunger to national platforms, including Capitol Hill, where they’ll advocate for change as part of the Food Research & Action Center’s annual conference. Their presence and power are a critical reminder that effective, equitable solutions must be informed by those who know the issue most intimately.
Join Us in Our Mission to Make Hunger History
As we reflect on the immaculate vibes, incredible energy, and inspiring community spirit of the 57th Walk for Hunger, we invite everyone to join us in our mission to make hunger history. Your support plays a crucial role in combating food insecurity in Massachusetts.
Thank you to all who participated, and we look forward to seeing you next year as we continue this vital journey together!
You don’t have to wait until next year to help us fight hunger. Fundraising for The Walk for Hunger will continue into the summer. By giving now, you’re boosting our efforts!