March for the Food Bank returns for 16th year

As marchers entered Hampshire County they were greeted by a passing AmTrak train that sounded the horn in support of the march.
Reminder Publishing photos by Trent Levakis

With food insecurity on the rise, and many still recovering from the delayed release of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits in November, the March for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts returned for another 43-mile trek from Springfield to Greenfield on Nov. 24 and 25.

The traditional two-day march, organized by Monte Belmonte of NEPM in support of the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, set out with a goal to raise $650,000. As always, Belmonte pushed a shopping cart for the entire 43 miles collecting donations.

New this year was the 3-mile Berkshire mini-march in Pittsfield on Nov. 22.

In an appearance on “So That Reminds Me” in November, Belmonte talked about how the amount of money raised has increased each year toward the new goal of $650,000, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. He raised $13,000 during the first year of the march.

“In 2020, the goal was to raise around $300,000, but because people kind of understood, maybe for the first time in their lives, how close they were to hunger, we raised over $600,000 that year,” Belmonte said. “And it blew all of our minds.”

He also talked about the importance of fighting hunger and that it was a solvable issue.

“The more I learn about the root causes of hunger, the more that I learn about how this is a solvable issue, and that we can band together as a community and petition those in government to help even more to end this problem,” Belmonte said, when talking about what motivates him to walk. “We need to support the local food banks and the local food pantries. And we also need to come up with a statewide and a federal-wide way of dealing with this.”

Before the main march started, the fundraiser had already raised over $330,000 for the Food Bank.

The March for the Food Bank officially kicked off at the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center in Springfield at 7 a.m. on Nov. 24. In attendance were Belmonte, U.S. Reps. Jim McGovern and Richard Neal, Food Bank of Western Massachusetts Executive Director Andrew Morehouse and Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services President and CEO Shannon Rudder.

Rudder said the march was about more than raising money to fight food insecurity, but also a way for the community to rally together.

“Dr. King’s vision of a just, compassion-filled community that is meeting the needs of our neighbors, that is who we are,” she said. “Dr. King said that food is a part of justice, and so, as you gather today, you know what our government is doing, but we also know the power of community, and as we gather today, we are not just doing a fundraiser, but we are marching with our fellow justice warriors … and let’s have fun doing it.”

Before introducing McGovern to the crowd, Belmonte explained that he has been a huge part of the march over the years.

McGovern said the crowd in attendance for the kickoff gave him hope.

“We are living through a very difficult time in our country; the priorities in Washington seem to be all screwed up. We have a president that actually withheld food stamp benefits to people in need,” he said. “What you are doing today is real, you are raising money for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, and every dollar you raise is going to help provide a meal to somebody in need.”

He added that every person should have a fundamental right to food.

“Food ought to be considered a fundamental human right in this country, and the fact that it is a luxury is something we all should be ashamed of,” he said. “I always say that hunger is a political condition. We have the money, we have the infrastructure, we know what to do, but we lack the political will. We have 46 million people in America who are hungry and food insecure, and we should all be ashamed.”

McGovern added that he was proud of the march and to be able to march with everyone in attendance.

“We’re going to raise a lot of money and feed a lot of people,” he said.

Morehouse talked about the ways the march has been a rally through difficult times over the course of the last 16 years.

“This is a ritual now, 16 years in the making, and it’s much, much more than a fundraiser; this is a friendraiser, and most importantly, this is an energizer for all of us, because we need to organize,” he said. “I remember when we marched through the Great Recession, I remember when we marched during the pandemic, now we’re marching because of a human-made disaster, we know that, so we need to rally together.”

Morehouse also encouraged attendees to reflect on the food bank’s four beliefs that support its mission to “build lasting food security by providing nutritious food and working with communities to end hunger in Western Massachusetts.”

“We believe access to food is a right, we believe people should receive food assistance conveniently and with dignity … systemic change is necessary for lasting food security, and we believe that centering community voices makes us better and stronger,” he said.

During his comments at the ceremony, Neal said that food insecurity can affect anyone.

“I’ve lived here my whole life; I never thought I would look at statistical data that said that there were people in some of what we perceived to be the wealthier suburbs around Springfield,, large numbers of families need this nutritional supplement because that’s what it was intended for,” he said.

Neal added that everyone has a right to have food every day.

“The promise of America was based upon, in some measure, our bounty, and the good things that by and large have come our way. So, on occasions like this, we are reminded that we want to make sure that we spread that opportunity for others, and nutrition supplement ought to be a part of all of our daily lives,” Neal said.

Belmonte added that events like the march help to build the political will to fight food insecurity.

“Let’s build that political will through storytelling and fundraising, and walking, and seeing the beautiful neighborhoods in which we live,” he said.

Before the march officially kicked off, Belmonte explained that because of cuts to public broadcasting, he was dressed as Ernie from “Sesame Street.”

“We want to continue to raise the kind of people that Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers have brought thus far, keep that close to your heart as we walk,” he said.

As of press time, the march had raised $830,655. On the website it was announced that the goal has been extended to $1 million, and donations will continue to be accepted until Dec. 31.