Photo: Kyle Bray/WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Over 3,500 people are walking through the Boston Common to tackle hunger in Massachusetts and beyond.
The 58th annual Walk for Hunger by Project Bread comes at a pivotal time as the nation faces rising food prices and the impact of SNAP cuts. The organization is looking to raise over a million dollars to help tackle food insecurity after a report from the Greater Boston Food Bank found that around 40% of households in the state struggle with the issue. But Project Bread CEO Erin McAleer says this is more than just about raising money and walking.
"It's also about increasing the public will to say that this is unacceptable in Massachusetts and in the United States of America. Nobody should be worried about affording food. They should be confident at the end of the day that they can go home and put food on the table."
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Jean McMurray, the longtime CEO of the Worcester County Food Bank, was also in attendance at the walk. She says an event like this is perfect for people who want to help, but aren't sure how.
"Everyone is being impacted by higher food prices and gas prices, but that's what's so great about the walk is that we can do this, and it has an immediate impact."
One of the walkers, Hazel, a kid who takes part in a program called Camp Passion that sees kids volunteering to help feed their community, says it's important that kids her age are motivated to help others.
"Kids are also our future basically, so if they start now, then when they're adults, they can do way more."
WBZ NewsRadio's Kyle Bray (@KyleBrayWBZ) reports.