Walk Against Hunger

Contact:
Carey Morgan, Director
Coalition Against Hunger
215-430-0555
cmorgan@hungercoalition.org

Walk Against Hunger and Nourish Your Sole

Overview

For the past ten years, thousands of individuals throughout the Greater Philadelphia area have been gathering at the Eakins Oval across from the Philadelphia Museum of Art for the annual Walk Against Hunger. Sponsored by the Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger, the Walk unites caring individuals in the fight against hunger. Families, friends, congregants, and colleagues join forces to promote awareness about the issue and solicit donations for hunger relief by walking the six-mile route, which parallels the Schuylkill River. The money raised through the Walk is distributed to the Coalition's partner organizations that combat hunger by providing food and services to families in need.

How to Participate

This year, the Walk will take place on April 12, 2008. Beginning in January, individuals or teams can register to walk online at www.hungerwalk.org or by calling 215.430.0555. Faith-based groups, schools, families, and friends are encouraged to multiply their contributions and enjoyment by forming teams..Team information as well as individual contribution forms can be downloaded from the Walk site. Thousands participate in the Walk, and last year they raised more than $250,000 in individual and corporate donations.

Historically, participants in the Walk are those already involved in serving the needy through food cupboards and soup kitchens. The Walk's 2007 goal is to expand participation. The Walk organizers are honored to have Sodexho partner as the Title Sponsor this year. Sodexho has a long history of fighting hunger through it's STOP HUNGER campaign. The Walk looks forward to the many divisions of Sodexho participating on Walk Day. Additionally, three presenting media sponsors - MYPHL, KYW News Radio1060, and the METRO have signed on to further the efforts by offering promotional support. Other committed corporate sponsors can be found on the sponsor page of the website. The Walk organizers are grateful to all of them for their support

Who Benefits

The Walk Against Hunger is the main fundraising effort for over 100 beneficiary agencies of the Coalition. Money raised by those agencies is directly returned to them after the Walk, with only a small percentage retained by the Coalition to support the infrastructure of the Walk. Non-affiliated walkers can donate their contributions directly to the Coalition or to a specific Coalition beneficiary group, allowing individuals and teams to have a direct impact on the anti-hunger organization of their choice.

For many of the participating beneficiary agencies, staffed almost entirely by volunteers, the Walk is their only means of annual fundraising and volunteer recruitment. Walk donations support various services including free emergency food packages for families, home-delivered meals, hot meals at community locations, and the purchase of food service equipment.

For more information, please visit www.hungerwalk.org.