Miles for Meals 5K Expects 300 Participants at Sunday's Inaugural Race! Race Will Benefit Food Bank Programs & Services!

NORWALK, CT, June 1, 2016 – The Connecticut Food Bank is hosting the Miles for Meals 5K this Sunday, June 5, at Calf Pasture Beach Park in Norwalk! The inaugural event expects over 300 runners and walkers to participate in the 5K race. The event is presented by Citizens Bank and benefits the Connecticut Food Bank’s mission to fight hunger.

This is the first year for the 5K event, said Connecticut Food Bank Interim CEO Paul O’Leary. “We are excited to launch this event and look forward to raising awareness of the problem of hunger in Connecticut and also to raising funds that will help us power our mission to feed the more than 300,000 people in our area who struggle with hunger during the year.”

O’Leary said the Connecticut Food Bank works with a network of local food pantries, soup kitchens and other programs to provide nutritious food to people in need. Last year, the Connecticut Food Bank distributed enough food to prepare more than 18.5 million meals.

“Too many people in our community go without a nutritious meal too many days of the year,” said Lisa Maass, President of Citizens Bank, Connecticut. “Citizens Bank is proud to partner with the Connecticut Food Bank on this race to help increase awareness about hunger here in our state and raise funds to support the critical work being done throughout the year to feed our neighbors in need.”

The Connecticut Food Bank Miles for Meals 5K features a flat course traveling through Calf Pasture Beach Park and scenic Norwalk waterfront. Packet pick-up and race day registration is at 7:00 a.m. and the race begins at 8:30 a.m. The post-race party begins at 9:00 a.m., with the awards ceremony at 10:00 a.m. Awards will be given to the top three finishers in each age group.

The race begins at 8:30 a.m this Sunday and is followed by a complimentary post-race party. The first 400 entrants will receive commemorative tech shirts. The entry fee for individual runners is currently $32 and will increase on raceday to $35. Runners may register online at www.ctfoodbank.org/5K until Saturday, June 4 at noon. Race information and registration is available www.ctfoodbank.org/5K.

Citizens Bank is presenting sponsor of the Connecticut Food Bank Miles for Meals 5K. Fairfield Living Magazine is exclusive magazine sponsor. ANSAC is Kids’ Corner sponsor. Dworken, Hillman, LaMorte & Sterczala, P.C. is the Start and Finish Line sponsor. For event information, visit www.ctfoodbank.org/5K. For sponsorship information, call Michael Davidow at (203) 741-9211 or email him at mdavidow@ctfoodbank.org.

About the Connecticut Food Bank:

The Connecticut Food Bank is the state’s non-profit leader in the fight against hunger and the largest provider of charitably donated food. The Connecticut Food Bank partnered with the food industry, food growers, donors and volunteers to provide enough food last year to prepare more than 18.5 million meals. We distribute that food through a network of community based programs to more than 300,000 people across six Connecticut counties. Visit us on the web at www.ctfoodbank.org, like us on Facebook and follow @CTFoodBank on Twitter and Instagram.

###