[UPDATE: I reached my fundraising goal, then reached it again. A huge thank you to everyone who contributed!! ...but I'm not done hiking! So why stop fundraising? Please consider contributing if you have not yet while I fill in the gap from 37.9 miles to 41.3. That's only 3.4 to go... so I'll probably do more :) Let's both exceed the (self-set) standards!]
Thanks for visiting my Hike for Hunger fundraising page! I’m hiking for hunger to raise money for the Amherst Survival Center’s COVID-19 Hunger Response Fund. During the month of November, I pledge to hike a total of at least 41.3 miles. That's seven times the mileage of the hike up the little mountain closest to my home, in recognition of the one in seven people in Western Massachusetts who will face food insecurity this year. I'm planning to branch out and take on some bigger peaks, too.
Will you help me make a difference for families facing food insecurity?
Throughout this crisis, the Amherst Survival Center has expanded its food and nutrition programs and taken every precautionary measure to ensure that people had access to the food they needed. Please consider making a donation today, to make sure the Center can continue to meet this increased demand as we enter the winter months. If just five of my friends donated $50, I'd quickly reach my goal of contributing $250 toward the essential work and provisions of Amherst Survival Center. Math so simple, I can do it. Thank you for your support!
All contributions are tax-deductible, and you’ll receive an email receipt immediately after you donate.
Hike for Hunger Virtual Challenge
Join the Amherst Survival Center for our first virtual Hike for Hunger Challenge! During this time of social distancing, the Hike for Hunger presents an opportunity for you to be outside and active while making sure our community has access to nutritious food. Set your personal goal, and throughout the month of November, head out on the trails wherever and whenever you’d like – with your kids, your friends, or your furry friends – and share your adventures with us.
Your entry fee and all the funds you raise will go directly to our COVID-19 Hunger Response Fund, making sure everyone in our community has access to the food they need for their families. Since March, we have more than doubled the number of meals we serve, now up to 250 lunches each day. We have increased Food Pantry allocations and launched a new grocery delivery program that has grown to almost 1,000 people per month.As we know, the pandemic and its economic fallout are far from over. With your support, we will continue to grow our programs to meet the need in our community.
Founded in 1976, the Amherst Survival Center addresses social determinants of health in Western Massachusetts through a community center that helps area residents meet their basic needs. We are the only organization of its kind locally to provide free meals, free groceries, free clothing and housewares, a free walk-in medical clinic, access to community resources, community activities, and specialized services for individuals experiencing homelessness, all under one roof.
Pre-Covid, we served 6,000+ people annually in about 48,000 visits. Since 2020, the Amherst Survival Center has more than tripled our daily meal service and doubled the amount of food provided by our food pantry, distributed via onsite shopping, curbside pickup, and delivery. In the last year, we provided more than 1,000,000 meals—prepared and groceries—to close to 7,000 people.
For more information, visit www.amherstsurvival.org