“March Out Hunger” Food Drive Kicks Off To Supports Veterans

The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. (VFW) VFW Department of Arizona; Humana, a leading health and well-being company; and St. Mary’s Food Bank are partnering to host a food and fund drive from Jan. 19 through Feb. 28, 2019.

As part of the “March Out Hunger” campaign, non-perishable food will be collected at 19 VFW Posts in Maricopa County, the Humana neighborhood center, and 11 Iora Primary Care locations.

In addition to food donations, members of the community can provide monetary donations to this food drive at: smfba.convio.net/MarchOutHunger2019

The campaign will kick-off on Saturday, Jan. 19 at 8 a.m. with a Rucksack March at the Humana Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Marathon. In the military, soldiers carry a heavily-loaded rucksack, similar to a backpack, over a long distance. To bring awareness to food insecurity among our military and veterans community, participants will bring packs filled with food donations and march the 5K route, delivering the food to St. Mary’s Food Bank at the finish line. Those interested in marching can sign up at: www.surveymonkey.com/r/AZRuckMarch

One in five households served by a local food bank has at least one member who has served in the U.S. military. This is according to Feeding America, the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. St. Mary’s Food Bank is one of Feeding America’s network of food banks.

Humana is bringing the VFW and St. Mary’s Food Bank together to impact food insecurity locally. Last year, Humana partnered with Feeding America to stage a series of events that drove food donations and raised awareness of food insecurity with a focus on helping veterans. In addition, Humana is a national affiliate partner of the VFW.

Food insecurity is defined as a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life. In the United States, food insecurity affects 1 in 8 people.