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3/28/2019

How did this whole “Walk for Hunger” begin?

Director’s Reflection

Director’s Reflection

Dear Companions on the Journey,

Last year, Boston, to its shame, mounted the 50th Greater Boston Walk for Hunger.  Why, you may ask, is this “to our shame”?  Shouldn’t we be proud of such a wonderful outpouring of energy and generosity for such a worthy cause?  Well, yes.  But isn’t it a shame that 50 years after the need was noted that we have not accomplished our goal of no more hunger in the Greater Boston area?  That’s our shame, and that’s our goal.  And we refuse to turn from it.
But how did this whole “Walk for Hunger” begin?  Well, fifty-one years ago, when young Paulist Patrick Hughes asked, “How can we fund our modest Supper Club?”, he answered, “How about a ‘Walk for Hunger’?”  (A few years later, Pat decided to get married and therefore left the Paulist Fathers. Sadly, he died around 1980.  I remember playing guitar for his funeral.  What an outpouring of love for an energetic man. This year his son, Brendan, spoke at the rally, gathering enthusiasm for this year’s walk.).
So the first Sunday of May, for the 51st time, we walk to end hunger in this Commonwealth and to fund our own Wednesday Night Supper Club. I think it’s worth reviewing some of Project Bread’s accomplishments from last year’s walk:
From the 2018 Walk, Project Bread invested $1 million in 315 community programs across 97 Massachusetts cities and towns.
The Paulist Center’s energetic team – led by the indefatigable Tori Steinmeier (join her and the team this year!) – helped to make the following happen:

  • 304,589 bags of groceries to families   at local food pantries;
  • 102,012 hot mealsat community meal    programs (including the Paulist Center’s Supper Club);
  • 231,400 pounds of locally-grown fresh produce to low-income residents through farm and garden initiatives;
  • 3,025 emergency food vouchersto elders, homeless, and refugees;
  • 171,655 pounds of food rescued and redistributed to people in need.

Beyond the immediate and necessary feeding of people, Project Bread is funding research will look closely at the causes of hunger in some of Massachusetts’ highest-need communities (go to projectbread.org for more information).
As Project Bread says to all walkers, “You are changing lives, restoring hope, and walking toward a better future forMassachusetts.”

What do you think?

And let us pray for/with one another.
Michael
The Paulist Center