Monte Belmonte and the March for Food Bank stop by Chicopee City Hall and is joined by Mayor John Vieau.
Reminder Publishing photo by Tyler Garnet
For the 15th year, the March for Food Bank with Monte Belmonte took place on Nov. 25 and 26, to help raise funds for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts.
Each November, the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts and Belmonte lead the march against hunger through the Pioneer Valley.
The annual tradition that has been transformed into the three county, 43-mile march. On day one, after starting at 6 a.m. from the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center in Springfield, the march stopped at Chicopee City Hall and Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen and Pantry in Chicopee before stopping for lunch at Fame Lounge and Eatery in Holyoke.
Multiple officials joined the march throughout including state Sen. Jake Oliveira (D-Ludlow), Chicopee Mayor John Vieau, state Rep. Pat Duffy (D-Holyoke), Holyoke Mayor Josh Garcia, U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Worcester) and state Sen. Jo Comerford (D-Northampton) amongst other community partners.
“Here in the city of Chicopee, it’s wonderful to have such a strong partnership with our municipal leaders like Mayor Vieau and also to have the Food Bank now home at the crossroad of New England where you can easily access, whether it’s a pantry up [Interstate] 91 or down in Springfield or right here in the city of Chicopee. It’s so important to have great partners,” Oliveira said while marching past Chicopee City Hall.
While at Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen, Vieau said, “There’s many people here who are struggling. They’re living day to day, week to week and having food on their table is one thing that is always on someone’s mind and having Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen, the other part-time pantries and having the hub of food security with the Western Massachusetts Food Bank here is just something very beneficial to all the people who live here and it’s not just Chicopee but the Pioneer Valley, Western Massachusetts and the points beyond.”
As the Food Bank’s largest annual fundraiser, the event plays a vital role in supporting its mission and raising awareness about food insecurity across the region.
This year’s fundraising goal was $500,000, which translates to 1.5 million meals for families across Western Mass.
Duffy talked about the goal and said, “The attention given to this march is so important to me and my constituents. The work that the Food Bank does with their partner agencies, you teach me so much about my constituents’ deepest needs and I’m grateful to everybody that works on this march.”
Day one ended in Northampton before day two started the next morning at 6 a.m. and went from Northampton into Amherst, before finishing in Greenfield.
As of press time, the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts announced it raised $575,000 which is enough to provide 1.7 million meals.
State Sen. Jake Oliveira, state Rep. Pat Duffy and other marchers enjoying the March for Food Bank.
Reminder Publishing photo by Tyler Garnet
