East Boston-Based Nonprofit Raises Money for Statewide Hunger Relief
EAST BOSTON, Mass. – On Sunday, May 4, Eastie Farm joined thousands of walkers for Project Bread’s 57th Walk for Hunger. The East Boston-based nonprofit returns to hit the pavement to raise money to support statewide food security through the Commonwealth Program. The Commonwealth gives organizations addressing food insecurity 60% of all funds they raise to support their own hunger relief programs, with the remaining 40% applied to Project Bread’s statewide food security efforts.
The Walk for Hunger, Project Bread’s flagship community fundraiser, brought together a diverse community dedicated to ensuring food security across the state. The event took place on Sunday, May 4 beginning at 9 a.m. and featured family-friendly activities, food and entertainment. This year’s Walk continued its commitment to accessibility with a fully paved route, accommodations for mobility devices, and the presence of ASL interpreters and multilingual staff.
“It is becoming more and more difficult for people to afford enough to eat,” says Erin McAleer, President & CEO of Project Bread. “One in 5 families with kids are worried about where their next meal will come from. The Walk for Hunger is our opportunity to make an immediate difference in the lives of thousands of our neighbors. Organizations like, like Eastie Farm, are what make The Walk for Hunger such a powerful event. Together, as a community, we’re making sure people can access food with dignity and choice each day.”
Eastie Farm has been empowering the East Boston community through equitable access to nutritious food, environmental education, and climate justice initiatives since 2015. Through programs like Produce for the People, which includes free produce distributions and a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, Eastie Farm addresses food insecurity while building a resilient, local food system. From a geothermal greenhouse and hydroponic system to educational field trips and volunteer workdays, Eastie Farm connects people of all ages to sustainable farming and environmental stewardship. Serving a diverse, immigrant-rich, and environmentally burdened community, Eastie Farm ensures food assistance reaches those most in need, including non-English speakers and undocumented residents. Funds raised through Project Bread’s Walk for Hunger will support Eastie Farm’s efforts to close funding gaps, ensuring continued access to healthy food and climate education for all.
“At Eastie Farm, we know that real food justice means addressing climate change, community resilience, and access to fresh, healthy food for everyone—especially those who face systemic barriers,” says Morgan Barlin, Food and Education Program Associate for Eastie Farm. “We’re proud to join Project Bread’s Walk for Hunger again this year to raise awareness, build community, and support a hunger-free future across Massachusetts. Every step we take supports equity, access, and sustainability in East Boston and beyond.”
Beginning in 1969 as the first pledge walk in the nation, money raised from The Walk for Hunger is critical to fund systemic change for hunger relief. Project Bread launched the joint-fundraising Commonwealth Program in 2019. In 2024, 39 nonprofits raised more than $228,000 to support their own programs for statewide food security.
Fundraising through the Walk for Hunger will continue through the summer. Donate directly to Eastie Farm’s Commonwealth fundraiser at https://give.projectbread.org/team/645028.
People experiencing food insecurity should call Project Bread’s FoodSource Hotline (1-800-645-8333), which provides confidential, free assistance getting connected to a variety of food resources in 180 languages and for the hearing impaired. Counselors can pre-screen families and help them to apply for SNAP. Learn more at projectbread.org/get-help.
About Project Bread
Project Bread is the leading statewide food security organization in Massachusetts. Beginning in 1969 with the first Walk for Hunger, the nonprofit focuses on driving systemic change to ensure people of all ages have reliable access to healthy food. Project Bread works collaboratively across sectors to create innovative solutions to end hunger and improve lives across the Commonwealth. For more information, visit: www.projectbread.org.
About Eastie Farm
East Boston, Massachusetts, is a majority-immigrant, Environmental Justice community on the frontlines of climate change. Eastie Farm was born in 2015, when a group of neighbors joined hands to fix up a long-abandoned lot on Sumner Street, reclaiming it as a place to gather and grow food. In the following years, Eastie Farm worked to preserve and revitalize more open spaces around the neighborhood as educational urban farms. We now operate 3 growing spaces including the first geothermal greenhouse in the Boston region. We teach children about climate science and the food system, and we work to alleviate food insecurity through free food distributions and our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. Please visit eastiefarm.com to learn more and eastiefarm.com/donate to help us in our efforts.
