The Irene E. and George A. Davis Outrun Hunger ‘14, a 5K walk/run organized by the teen board of Rachel's Table, will be held June 1.
The Irene E. and George A. Davis Outrun Hunger ‘14, a 5K walk/run organized by the teen board of Rachel's Table, will be held June 1.
“When members of our teen board learned that so many of their peers weren’t getting enough nutritious food, they wanted to do something to help. Not only did they come up with the idea of Outrun Hunger, but they are also soliciting sponsors, publicizing the program, and recruiting their friends and family members," said Debbie Rubenstein, Rachel's Table director, in a release that references statistics showing that some 34,000 children in Western Massachusetts do not get enough to eat.
According to the release, the event, held every other year, raised more than $15,000 in 2012.
Proceeds from the event, which received a grant from the Agawam-based Harold Grinspoon Foundation, will benefit projects, in Western Massachusetts, that provide food directly to those in need and to programs that educate youth about childhood hunger in our community. One of those projects, according to the release, is the Holyoke Backpack Initiative that sends food home to homeless children over the weekend.
Registration begins at 9 a.m. at the Springfield Jewish Community Center, 1160 Dickinson St. Participants can register for one of three options: a 5K (3.1 mile) run, a 5K walk, or a one-mile walk. The event will be timed by the Greater Springfield Harriers, Inc. All the routes wind through the streets of Longmeadow, and conclude at the center, where there will be a short awards ceremony.
Prizes will be awarded to the first male and first female runners to reach the finish line, to the team that has the most participants, and to the team that raises the most money.
The $10 registration fee (plus $15 minimum in contributions) includes snacks, water, and a T-shirt. To register, or to learn more about volunteering and sponsoring the program, contact Rachel’s Table at (413) 733-0084, or visit www.RachelsTableSpringfield.org.
In addition to the grant, major sponsors for the event include the Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation, Bay State Health, Camp Ramah in NE, Williams Distributing, Meyers Brothers Kalicka, PC,Peoples Bank, Sugar and Spice, Berkshire Bank, Chicopee Savings Charitable Foundation, and Susan and Ron Grodsky.
Rachel’s Table, which collects and donates food to 43 agencies six days a week, is a project of the Jewish Federation of Western Massachusetts and WWLP-TV22.