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Food Bank's 'Walk Off Hunger' event aims to entertain, educate

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Mon, Jul 16th 2018 01:35 pm
Proceeds from the family-friendly event will help feed hungry WNY community members
The Food Bank of WNY is seeking participants of all ages for its 11th annual "Walk Off Hunger," which will be held from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Saturday, July 28, at Island Park in Williamsville.
Presented by Life Storage, this family-friendly event will help the Food Bank of WNY provide more nutritious meals to hungry local children, families, seniors and veterans this summer and into the fall.
"Walk Off Hunger" is once again co-hosted by Calvary Episcopal Church and Congregation Shir Shalom. Check-in and registration will begin at 10 a.m., with the 2-mile walk starting at 11 a.m. "Walk Off Hunger" will include a festival featuring food and drink, children's activities, bounce houses, a climbing wall, musical entertainment, visits from local sports teams' mascots, an auction and more. Free parking is available at Williamsville South High School, located at 5950 Main St., Williamsville.
Currently, one in eight individuals in the Food Bank of WNY's four-county service area is at risk of hunger. While donations to the Food Bank of WNY slow significantly during the summer, the need in the community remains high. "Walk Off Hunger" was strategically created as a summertime fundraiser in order to help the Food Bank of WNY replenish its shelves and provide more meals to hungry local families.
"Thanks to the support of the community, 'Walk Off Hunger' continues to make a substantial contribution in the fight against hunger. We encourage you to invite your family and friends to join us on July 28 for a fun and meaningful event that will make a difference in Western New York," said Tara A. Ellis, president and CEO of the Food Bank of WNY. "Every hand lent, dollar raised and step taken assists the Food Bank of WNY in providing nourishment and hope to our most vulnerable community members."
This year, "Walk Off Hunger" hopes to engage children and their families with its expanded menu of nutrition games to get young bodies moving and brains thinking. The children's activities, which include a nutrition relay race, "Snack Attack" tag and a fruit-and-vegetable tasting challenge, are designed to educate children and families about the importance of leading healthy, well-balanced lives.
Registration for the walk is $25 per person; children ages 16 and younger are free to participate. Walkers can register the day of the event or online at www.foodbankwny.org. There is also a special drawing for a chance to win a $2,000 AAA gift certificate to plan a family vacation. Tickets are $10 per entry or $20 for three entries. Tickets for the drawing are currently available at www.foodbankwny.org and will also be sold at the walk. Participants in the drawing need not be present at the walk to win.
"Walk Off Hunger" is made possible through the generosity of many sponsors, including presenting sponsor Life Storage; diamond sponsors Father Sam's Bakery, SEFCU and Wireless Zone Foundation for Giving; and platinum sponsors BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York, Delta Air Lines, Foxy Delivery Service, Praxair Inc., Eduardo and Amy Heumann and Student Transportation of America.
The Food Bank of WNY is the primary hunger-relief organization in Western New York, obtaining and distributing food to 335 member agencies, including food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, group homes and youth programs in Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie and Niagara counties. Through these agencies, the Food Bank of WNY serves as many as 140,000 individuals in any given month, including 45,300 households, 54,500 children and infants and 18,370 seniors. For more information, visit www.foodbankwny.org.

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