GBFB Calls on Eastern MA to Help End Hunger
During Hunger Action Month

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

With Food Costs and Hunger on the Rise, The Greater Boston Food Bank Calls on
Eastern Massachusetts to Help End Hunger Throughout Hunger Action Month

September programming encourages Massachusetts residents to get involved in the fight against hunger amidst persisting food insecurity and inflation

BOSTON – (September 1, 2022) – The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB), the largest hunger-relief organization in New England, announced today that it will draw attention to the need for increased food access across Eastern Massachusetts throughout September in recognition of Hunger Action Month. Through the month-long campaign, GBFB seeks to encourage action, spread awareness, and raise essential funds in support of hunger-relief efforts.

“For 15 years, Hunger Action Month has been a time for all of us to get involved and do our part to end hunger,” said Catherine D’Amato, GBFB President and CEO. “As inflation and the lasting impacts of COVID continue to plague our communities and amplify existing inequities, food insecurity remains an ongoing crisis across the nation. As these issues compound, we are reminded this September that nobody should have to choose between eating and other essential needs, and we ask everyone to join us however they can to help end hunger here and provide essential relief to those in need.”

The campaign comes after a recent report published by GBFB, Opportunities to Improve Food Equity and Access in Massachusetts, highlighted sustained and elevated need for food assistance across the state. The study estimates that as many as 1 in 3 Massachusetts adults – or 1.8 million people – experienced food insecurity in 2021. The findings also reveal existing and worsened disparities in food access for certain groups, estimating that food insecurity rates in 2021 were highest among Latinx adults, Black adults, LGBTQ+ adults, and adults with children.

The month-long call to action comes at a time when the inflation rate and spike in food costs have reached their highest in more than 40 years, impacted by supply chain issues, the risk of a global food crisis and a persistent housing crisis across our state. The intersection of these issues has made for perfect conditions for heightened food insecurity in Massachusetts, particularly for its most vulnerable residents.

This year, food insecurity has also picked up political momentum, with a call for primary candidates to take a stand in September leading up to the November 2022 elections. For the first time in over 50 years, the White House will host a historic Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health during Hunger Action Month to drive significant policy change to end hunger, improve nutrition and food access, reduce diet-related disease and close the disparities that impact the health and wellbeing of millions of Americans. GBFB aims to leverage this historic moment to engage our community in local activities surrounding the conference taking place in Washington D.C.

As inflation heightens the need for food assistance, it also poses challenges for GBFB and its 600 food distribution partners in their efforts to meet demand and provide vital access to nutritious food for those in need. GBFB has seen a sharp uptick in need as its partner food pantries report serving more than double the number of people served before the pandemic.

PARTNER APPRECIATION AWARDS
Throughout the month of September GBFB will announce its 2022 Partner Appreciation Award winners. Twelve (12) awards will be given to partner agencies, public officials, volunteers, donors and other organizations that have gone above and beyond to end hunger the last two years during the pandemic. These awards are given in honor of Hunger Action Month in appreciation and recognition that to end hunger here in Eastern Massachusetts, we must do it together.

GBFB HUNGER ACTION MONTH EVENTS TO SPREAD AWARENESS AND ALLEVIATE HUNGER:

• High Street Place Food Hall “Round-Up” Program
  Throughout September, 20 vendors at the High Street Place Food Hall will invite guests to round their purchases up to the nearest dollar in support of GBFB.
• The Helping Menu
  Local restaurants add new, creative options to their existing menu that encourage their guests to donate to GBFB. Restaurants scheduled to participate in September include Harvest, Myers & Chang, The Banks Fish House and Trillium Brewing. Contact GBFB Events Manager Carlen Singmaster (csingmaster@gbfb.org) to learn how to participate.
• 9/11 Day of Service meal packing event – Monday, September 12
  500 volunteers to pack more than 100,000 meals for GBFB at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center in Roxbury MA. Those interested in volunteering can sign up through Boston Cares.
• Annual Red Sox Strike Out Hunger Weekend – September 16 & 18
  Now in its 30th year, this annual fundraiser is designed to provide healthy meals for those in need. For a $20 donation, Red Sox fans at Fenway Park can receive an autographed photo of their favorite Red Sox player or enter a raffle for other exciting Red Sox prizes. Fans not attending the games at Fenway Park can still donate at GBFB.org/RedSox.
• WCVB Day of Awareness – September 22
  WCVB-TV Channel 5 hosts its annual Hunger Action Month Day of Awareness, an all-day, on-air fundraiser in support of GBFB’s mission to end hunger here.
• White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health in DC – September 28
  The Greater Boston Food Bank will host a hybrid watch party and panel discussion on the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health. More details to be announced.

HUNGER ACTION DAY– SEPTEMBER 23

• Local Boston landmarks including Boston City Hall, Rose Kennedy Greenway, Goodwin, Museum of Science, and many more will be lit up the color orange – the symbolic color of hunger.
• Show your support by wearing orange on Hunger Action Day and sharing a photo on social media.

CHOOSE TO END HUNGER DURING HUNGER ACTION MONTH
In partnership with Feeding America®, GBFB will launch a month-long campaign encouraging everyone to choose to end hunger. The public is encouraged to make a difference every day by donating, fundraising, volunteering, learning about hunger in your community, advocating for food assistance, and sharing information about hunger on social media with the following hashtags and tags: #HungerActionMonth, #EndHungerHere, @gr8BosFoodBank, @FeedingAmerica.

Those in need of food assistance are encouraged to visit GBFB.org/need food, where they can find a list of resources and search for a food program by zip code.

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. As the food bank for Eastern Massachusetts, GBFB is feeding people in 190 towns across the region, distributing the equivalent of nearly 100 million meals through a network of 600 dedicated food distribution partners and programs. A member of the national Feeding America network, GBFB’s mission is to end hunger here. The organization remains committed to the belief that access to healthy food is a human right regardless of an individual’s circumstances. Through policy, partnerships, and providing free, nutritious, and culturally responsive food, GBFB is committed to addressing the root causes of food insecurity while promoting racial, gender and economic equity in food access. For more information and to help us help others, visit us at GBFB.org, follow us on Facebook, Twitter (@gr8bosfoodbank) and Instagram, or call us at 617.427.5200.

Media Contact
Catherine Lynn
GBFB
VP, Communications and Public Affairs
617.828.7422
press@gbfb.org