Press release submitted by Loaves & Fishes
The 29th Annual Good Friday Walk will be held on March 29, and our goal this year is to raise $29,000! Walkers who participate in this non-denominational event support two important charities: Loaves & Fishes, the largest food pantry in North Central Massachusetts, and Sharing, Inc., which helps impoverished youth in the rural South. We need your help—either as a walker, a volunteer, or a sponsor. The more money we raise, the more you help others. (If you raise $100, Loaves & Fishes can get over 400 pounds of food at the Greater Boston Food Bank!)
The walk leaves the Harvard Congregational Church on the Common, and follows a scenic five-mile loop. Walkers can register any time from 7:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. and can walk as far as they like. YOU can make a huge difference in the lives of your neighbors in need—with relatively little physical effort. Remember, there is no shame in being hungry or in need; the shame is in not helping people when you can.
The past few years have seen a drastic decrease in donations, no doubt because the tough economy. But because of that same tough economy, Loaves & Fishes is providing groceries to a record number of local families. Last year, we had about 296 people who walked over 4,000 miles walkers to raise almost $23,000. We know it’s ambitious, but we hope to raise $29,000 this year to celebrate the 29th anniversary of the walk.
Form a team to raise money and do the walk—teams from your office, your church, your civic group, your family, and your friends. If you’re a teacher or school administrator, recruit students to walk and raise money, or to help in the kitchen or at the registration table—they’ll have fun and earn community service credits too. Ask everyone you know to “give til it helps.” Most of the money raised will go directly to Loaves & Fishes’ clients (your neighbors) from Harvard, Groton, Shirley, Ayer, Littleton and Devens, for food and personal care items, while a portion will continue to go to Sharing, Inc. to help the poor in the rural South.
How do you get started? If you’re walking, pick up a sponsor sheet today at your local church or library, or download it at www.loavesfishespantry.org. Then gather as many contributions as you can. Each walker is asked to raise a minimum of $25 to participate. On the day of the walk, total your sponsor sheet and bring it, along with all the money you’ve collected, to the registration desk at the Harvard Congregational Church to receive a walker number and map. No one under the age of 18 may walk without a parent’s or guardian’s signature; walkers under age 12 must have adult supervision. No bicycles, roller blades, scooters, or skateboards are allowed because they can be dangerous to the walkers. If you want to volunteer in the kitchen or at the registration desk, contact either Jeanie Colony (978-456-1239, jecolony@charter.net) or Becca Day-Newsham (978-456-8717, newsha@aol.com).
The Good Friday Walk is the biggest on-going fundraising event for Loaves & Fishes—and in these hard economic times, it’s critical to the pantry that the walk be successful. In 2012, Loaves & Fishes served up to 800 families per month—and more than 30% of our total client population consists of children under the age of 18 and seniors over 65. The people we serve are your neighbors, and they need your help.
Thank you for making this year’s Good Friday Walk a success!
