WCVB & GBFB partner to help raise awareness & funds to fight hunger
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Ro Dooley Webster
617-823-5630
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Karen Fisher
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WCVB CHANNEL 5 AND THE GREATER BOSTON FOOD BANK PARTNER TO HELP RAISE AWARENESS AND FUNDS TO FIGHT HUNGER
WCVB To Air Annual DAY OF GIVING Televent On Thursday, September 23
BOSTON, MA – Tuesday, September 21, 2021 – September is Hunger Action Month and to help shed light on the reality of food insecurity throughout the Bay State, WCVB Channel 5 is partnering again with The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) on a special DAY OF GIVING on Thursday, September 23rd. WCVB’s third-annual fundraising initiative for GBFB takes on heightened importance this year, as the food insecurity rate has been greatly exacerbated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and is expected to remain 30 percent above pre-COVID levels in Massachusetts for the remainder of 2021.
Beginning with the EyeOpener newscasts at 4:30AM, WCVB will air several live reports throughout the morning and afternoon during regularly scheduled programming featuring various topics related to food insecurity and hunger relief. Viewers will be encouraged to donate by texting HUNGER to 20222 or call 866.FOOD.NOW (beginning at 6AM) to be immediately connected to GBFB team members and volunteers who can process a donation or assist with questions of where to find help.
“The COVID-19 crisis is not over for many of our most vulnerable neighbors who continue to struggle to meet their household needs,” said Catherine D’Amato, President and CEO of The Greater Boston Food Bank. “WCVB, for the third September in a row, is doing their part during Hunger Action Month by generously dedicating this Day of Giving to raise awareness about the issue of food insecurity and help GBFB achieve its mission to end hunger here in Eastern Massachusetts.”
“Hunger is a debilitating problem that has grown exponentially during the ongoing pandemic,” said Kyle Grimes, WCVB President and General Manager. “We are proud to use the platform we have to support the team at The Greater Boston Food Bank who is doing the hard work, directly helping the most vulnerable in our community who are struggling with food insecurity.”
About The Greater Boston Food Bank:
The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) is the largest hunger-relief organization in New England and among the largest food banks in the country. In response to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, GBFB distributed the equivalent of nearly 82 million meals in 2020 through its network of 600 dedicated food distribution partners and programs in the 190 cities and towns across Eastern Massachusetts. A member of Feeding America, the nation’s food bank network, GBFB’s mission is to end hunger here and it is committed to providing at least three healthy meals a day to everyone in need. For more information, visit us at GBFB.org, follow us on Facebook, Twitter (@gr8bosfoodbank) and Instagram, or call us at 617.427.5200.
About WCVB Channel 5
WCVB is Boston’s broadcast/digital media leader, providing news, weather, sports, community service and entertainment on multiple platforms including WCVB Channel 5, wcvb.com, WCVB mobile and MeTV Boston. Founded by community leaders in 1972, WCVB is committed to its mission to serve the region with quality local content. In addition to 47 hours of NewsCenter 5 coverage each week, original offerings include Chronicle, the nation’s longest running local news magazine; CityLine, a weekly urban magazine program; and On The Record, a weekly political roundtable. The station has been honored with numerous prestigious national broadcasting honors including the RTDNA Edward R. Murrow Awards for “Best Newscast” and National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation’s “Service to the Community” award. Additional top honors include the National Headliner Awards, Gracie Awards, Gabriel Awards, the regional Emmy’s, Associated Press Awards, Walter Cronkite Award, and duPont Awards. WCVB, Boston’s ABC affiliate station, is owned by Hearst Television, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hearst, a leading media company whose global holdings include 33 television stations and two radio stations. Follow us on Facebook (wcvb5) and Twitter (@wcvb).
About Hearst Television
Hearst Television owns and operates 33 television and two radio stations serving 26 media markets across 39 states reaching over 21 million U.S. television households. Through its partnership with nearly all of the major networks, Hearst Television distributes national content over nearly 70 video channels including programming from ABC, NBC, CBS, CW, MY Net, MeTV, This TV, Estrella and more. The radio stations are leaders in Baltimore news/talk and rock music listenership. Hearst Television is recognized as one of the industry’s premier companies and has been honored with numerous awards for distinguished journalism, industry innovation, and community service. Hearst Television is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hearst.