Six months ago two friends and I created the Hunger to Healthy Campaign, focused on hunger relief in Eastern Massachusetts. The campaign was developed as a means to connect our individual and shared networks as we continue to move forward fighting hunger. The campaign was created by Rosie Conway, Christopher Corrente, and Luis Abreu in March 2013, with the perception that the opposite of hunger is not full, but rather the opposite of hunger is healthy.
Mission: To educate our families and friends on the growing issue of hunger within Massachusetts – and to make them aware of the steps we are taking to make a small, but impactful, contribution in terminating hunger within our local communities. To bring our families and friends together in order to create a support system for the service work we are undertaking. With assistance from our individual and shared networks we will strengthen the services we provide – focusing primarily on the quantity and quality of the meals we provide.
WHAT WE DO:Once a month we sponsor lunch or dinner at a community meal location. For the first 6 meals we have provided, we have served Lifebridge in Salem, MA. Lifebridge serves the greater north shore region by providing adult men and women housing, by operating a community meal program which serves two meals per day throughout the year, by providing a food pantry and thrift store. Providing 730 meals per year is no easy task for any kitchen; the meals that we take off their hands is one way we make a difference. We are currently expanding our service locations. Starting in October, we will be serving at River House in Beverly, My Brother's Table in Lynn, and other opportunities are in the works! We have committed to twelve meals per year, however, our goal is to become financially stable that we may offer to undertake an additional 12 meals per year.
WHERE WE GO FROM HERE: The cost for each meal we sponsor is roughly $150.00 – not too bad considering we serve on average 80-100 people per meal. In total, our 12 meals throughout the year will cost $1,800. Like so many others, we cannot continue to financially support every meal on our own – we need your help!
*We have been OVERWHELMED by the support we have received over the last six months. Thank you so much!*
WAYS YOU CAN HELP:
** 1.) Help Sponsor a Meal **
We are responsible for providing/purchasing each meal we sponsor. There are two ways you may help sponsor a meal. One, you can make a financial contribution that will be used to help purchase items for a meal. Gift cards to the following stores are greatly appreciated: BJs, Costco, Market Basket and Wal-Mart. Two, you can donate items that will be used to prepare a particular meal. If interested in sponsoring a meal please email us and include “sponsor a meal” as the subject line.
** 2.) Volunteer to Prep/Serve a Meal **
We are always looking for volunteers to assist us with prepping and serving meals at Lifebridge. Volunteer service time is 11:00am-1:30pm (for lunch) and 4:30pm-7:00pm (for dinner). Listed below are the dates for our upcoming meals. If interested in being a volunteer please email us and include “volunteer for a meal” as the subject line.
> Sunday, September 29th - lunch
> Sunday, October 13th - lunch
Past meals served: Chicken Broccoli Ziti, Chicken Stir Fry, Hamburgers and Hotdogs, Chicken Breast. Each meal is partnered with either garden or fruit salad. Each meal follows the guidelines set by MyPlate, previously the food pyramid, developed by the USDA-United States Department of Agriculture.
We are limited to 6-7 volunteers per meal. We will use a rotating-schedule in order to accommodate all our volunteers. All are welcome!
** 3.) Support Our Never-Ending Food Drive **
Give to the Hunger to Healthy Campaign’s never-ending food drive. Collected items are donated on a bi-monthly basis to various food pantries in eastern Massachusetts.
It’s simple! Look through your cabinets and pantries and pull out a couple items that you can do without! If you know one of us personally, you can give those items to us the next time we meet. Or, contact us and we’ll make an arrangement to come pick those items up!
** 4.) Join Our Walk for Hunger Team **
Join us in May to participate in Project Bread’s annual Walk for Hunger in Boston. We will begin to form our team in mid-February and continue to add walkers throughout coming weeks. This is a great opportunity to initiate change, fundraise for an amazing cause and make new friends at the same time!
Our team fundraised $1,685 for the Walk for Hunger in 2013! You can help make 2014 an even greater success! Additional information will follow in January 2014.
** 5.) Support & Attend Our Special Events **
We are currently in the process of planning events to help fundraise our sponsored meals. Additional information will follow in coming weeks.
If you are interested in learning more or participating in various Hunger to Healthy Campaign opportunities, please email us at hungertohealthycampaign@gmail.com.
Thank you to everyone who has offered support-financial contributions, donated items, and moral support! We cannot do it without you :)
