The Hunger Walk was started 14 years ago by our own Susan Davis, a long-time member of The Unitarian Universalist Church of Akron, along with Lela Brown of the Akron First Seventh Day Adventist Church. Together, as members of the Akron Area Interfaith Council, they decided to express their values of caring
for our community and stamping out food insecurity in the Akron area by raising money for the Akron Canton Regional Food Bank.

The UUCA continues to host this event each year which brings members of more than 18 faith organizations together for the good of our community. It is estimated that over 68,000 people
are food insecure in Summit County. Approximately 21,000 are children. In 2022 the Food Bank responded by providing 8,351,516 meals. That is 10,021,820 total pounds of food distributed.
This year the Food Bank is bracing for an increase in volume of people seeking help as the federal government phases out its SNAP Pandemic Emergency Allotments. Nearly 80,000 individuals in Summit County will be losing those additional benefits in March 2023. At this time of sustained inflation and
high food prices it will be difficult for the food bank to respond to the increase in need without continued and sustained support.

We are expecting an increase in need at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Akron as well. As a partner with The Akron-Canton Regional Food Bank, our Food Justice Ministry continues to prepare hot meals and distribute them to anywhere from 100 to 175 people a month utilizing food provided by The Food Bank. Our Immigration Committee also continues to pick up and deliver food from The Food Bank to
immigrant families on a weekly basis. Instead of slowing down, both of these ministries are braced to meet the increased need.
Our Church can be very proud of its very generous support of this event over the past 14 years. We are asking you once again to join The Akron Area Interfaith Council as we walk together as a faith community on Sunday May 7 th at 2:00 to stamp out hunger. Then donate, as you are able, to the 14 th Annual Hunger Walk. (Please see the above flyer for ways to donate.) 100% of what you donate will be given directly to the Food Bank. And THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!!
If you have any questions or comments please contact Susan Gallagher at sfgallagh@yahoo.com or Liz Nelson at eabeenelson@neo.rr.com