Washington, DC
SPRINGFIELD ? U.S. Reps. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, Jim McGovern, D-Worcester, and Joe Kennedy III, D-Brookline, will participate in a march from Springfield to Greenfield next week to raise funds for food banks.
The congressmen, will join 93.9 FM The River morning radio host Monte Belmonte and Food Bank of Western Massachusetts Executive Director Andrew Morehouse for portions or all of the 40-plus mile march, which kicks off Nov. 23 with a 7 a.m. event at St. John’s Church in Springfield.
The Thanksgiving week march will stop in Chicopee, Holyoke and Northampton, capping the first day with a fundraising dinner at Northampton Brewery. McGovern, Morehouse and Belmonte are expected to attend the benefit dinner.
The march will resume Nov. 24 at McGovern’s Pleasant Street office at 6 a.m., with stops planned in Hadley, Amherst and Sunderland before ending around 6 p.m. in Greenfield.
McGovern, who joined Belmonte in pushing empty shopping carts 26 miles from Northampton to Greenfield last year to raise $65,000 for the food bank, said he’s honored and ready to once again participate in the so-called “Monte’s March.” The Worcester Democrat is expected to march the entire route.
“I believe that we can end hunger in America, if only we had the collective political will,” he said in a statement. “We continue to fight every day in Congress to make sure that the programs that help feed our most vulnerable systems aren’t eviscerated. But ending hunger needs a huge grassroots effort, and this incredible, unique event brings much needed attention to food security and food pantries in Western Massachusetts.”
Belmonte, McGovern, Morehouse and Neal are expected to attend the Monday kick-off in Mason Square, which aims to highlight so-called food deserts in the Springfield-area.
Kennedy is expected to join the march at the Amherst Survival Center. Local mayors and District Attorney Dave Sullivan are also expected to partake in the two-day event.
Go here to donate to The Food Bank of Western Mass.
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