November, 2012
Project Bread, the state’s leading antihunger organization, has awarded $226,650 in grants to emergency food programs in the northeastern part of the state through funds raised by the 44th annual Walk for Hunger. The grants will support programs such as food pantries, schools, farms, food banks, food salvage programs, and other community organizations providing hunger relief. Over 43,000 supporters walked to raise money to help the hungry.
Over 30 different agencies in the area will benefit from these grants. Emergency food programs are a vital resource for people who struggle with hunger, something an estimated 750,000 people in Massachusetts experience. Last year, Project Bread–funded emergency food programs across the state reported serving 61 million meals to those in need.
“As we begin to think about the holidays,” said Ellen Parker, executive director of Project Bread, “it’s essential to remember those who are struggling to put food on the table for their families. We owe them as great a measure of relief as possible to get through these difficult times.”
Statewide, over 430 food programs received grants from Project Bread’s Walk for Hunger in 125 communities across the state. Below is a partial list of grant recipients in the northeastern area. For a complete listing, visit www.projectbread.org/fundedagencies.
• Our Neighbor’s Table (Amesbury)
• Beverly Bootstraps Community Services (Beverly)
• Bread and Roses Soup Kitchen
(Lawrence)
• Open Pantry of Greater Lowell (Lowell)
Robert Lanzoni, executive director of Bread and Roses Soup Kitchen in Lawrence, explained how the grant from Project Bread will assist their pantry: “The number of people who have come to Bread and Roses Soup Kitchen and community pantry has increased by twenty percent in the last six or eight months. The funds given by Project Bread will be used to provide more food for more people.”
About Project Bread
As the state’s leading antihunger organization, Project Bread is dedicated to alleviating, preventing, and ultimately ending hunger in Massachusetts.
Through The Walk for Hunger, the oldest continual pledge walk in the country, and other sources, Project Bread provides millions of dollars each year in privately donated funds to support hunger relief through emergency programs, schools, community health centers, farmers’ markets, community suppers, home care organizations, and other programs that protect the individual and strengthen community food security.
For more info visit projectbread.org.