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THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, April 15, 2022 Page 19 Saugonian raises money to end statewide hunger (Editor’s Note: The following info is from a press release issued by Project Bread this week.) O n May 1, Angela Vozzella, of Saugus, will lace up for Project Bread’s 54th annual Walk for Hunger. She will be among over a thousand virtual participants to walk in their own neighborhoods to raise more than $1 million to help get food assistance to kids and families across the Commonwealth. Historically, the Walk for Hunger, the nation’s oldest continual pledge walk, takes place the first Sunday of May on the Boston Common. The 2022 fundraiser will be the third event to be celebrated virtually. “As the pandemic continues to take a financial toll on people and entire communities, we must do everything we can to help the 1 in 6 households struggling to afford food,” said Project Bread CEO Erin McAleer. “Participating in Project Bread’s Walk for Hunger is one way we can all do something tangible to make sure our neighbors can get food to meet their most basic need. Our community has shown we have the power to create meaningful change. This year is especially important. As the effects of the pandemic begin to wane, so do many of the hunger relief measures temporarily put in place to help people. But food insecurity won’t end with the pandemic, and we’re fighting for permanent support to all families who need it.” For more than 10 years, Vozzella, 53, has participated in Project Bread’s Walk for Hunger. This year she will walk her own virtual route around Lake Quannapowitt to raise $500. The local educator comes back year after year to give back and to pay it forward to the students within the public school system who receive free breakfast and lunch to ease the burden of the high cost of food on family budgets. “The Walk for Hunger provides an opportunity to step outside, exercise and meet new people while raising money and awareness for an important cause,” said Vozzella. “I am thankful for the food I have and the opportunity to do some good in this world.” Money raised through the virtual Walk is funding Project Bread’s urgent mission to ensure kids have reliable access to food, to directly help individuals and families and to advocate at the state and federal levels for expedited and efficient relief for those in need. Walk funds are also supporting community organizations that are helping people access food locally and ensuring communities have the resources necessary to respond to the hunger crisis now and over the long road to recovery ahead. “Our walk community always inspires us. In the early days of the pandemic, we weren’t sure what would happen. The people of Massachusetts showed up for us in a big way – almost immediately. From sewing and selling face masks, to doing family fitness challenges, or even writing songs and walking their own routes, people found a way to raise money to help those who really needed it. I think Massachusetts is a state that takes care of its own and people just understood how important it was,” said Project Bread Director of Development Alexa Drolette. “We were honored that the event raised over $1 million last year, and we’re looking for another great show of support on May 1.” This year’s event will include virtual programming with McAleer and elected officials, as well as walkers and volunteers posting and sharing their experiences along their neighborhood routes and why they are walking to help end hunger. Families with kids, individuals and teams of corporate employees are encouraged to find creative ways to connect virtually and fundraise together. To register as a virtual participant for Project Bread’s Walk for Hunger, or to support a walker or team, visit projectbread.org/walk or call (617) 723-5000. There is no registration fee or fundraising minimum to participate, although a $250 minimum goal is suggested. Participants who raise $500 or more are recognized as Heart & Sole walkers and receive access to personalized fundraising support, exclusive event gear and invitations to events. People experiencing food insecurity should call Project Bread’s FoodSource Hotline (1-800-645-8333), which provides confidential, free assistance to get connected to a variety of food resources in 180 languages and for the hearing impaired. Counselors can prescreen families and help them apply for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Red Cross contributes $12M to Ukrainian relief effort A s the conflict in Ukraine continues, the American Red Cross has contributed $12 million dollars toward relief efforts. This support allows the Red Cross network to provide lifesaving aid to those in need — both in the country and in neighboring areas. The contribution includes $10 million dollars to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to help alleviate the suffering caused by this devastating crisis as well as $2 million dollars to the Danish Red Cross to provide emergency supplies to people displaced within Ukraine. This includes non-perishable food items, first aid kits, blankets and hygiene kits to people fleeing their homes inside the country as well as families sheltering in place and unable to access life-saving supplies. More than 10 million people have been displaced by this conflict, more than four million of whom have fled Ukraine to nearby countries. An estimated 18 million — a third of the country’s population — will need humanitarian assistance. As the fighting continues and the dire humanitarian situation unfolds, the needs on the ground remain critical. Over the past month, the Red Cross has reached more than a million people with life-saving aid, both within Ukraine and in neighboring countries. “The devastating reality of Ukraine is that the needs are growing every day. Amidst increased violence and a disrupted supply chain, delivering essential goods in many parts of the country is getting harder — not easier,” said IFRC President Francesco Rocca. “Responding to a crisis of this magnitude takes teamwork, which is why we’re working hand-in-hand with the Ukrainian Red Cross on the ground to let people know that they’re not alone. Not ever,” he states. In Ukraine: Aid Amidst the Violence Under mortal danger to themselves, Red Cross teams are still working tirelessly to help people and communities impacted by conflict. The constant violence across the country has left hundreds of thousands of people without electricity, water and food. Damaged roads have disrupted supply chains, leaving communities cut off from food and basic supplies. In Mariupol, Ukraine, local officials report that more than 90 percent of all hospitals and schools have been damaged, while 40 percent have been completely destroyed. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is making every continual effort to deliver urgently needed aid to the city. In its role as a neutral intermediary, ICRC has made detailed proposals regarding safe passage and evacuations for civilians to ease the massive suffering taking place in Mariupol, but the concrete agreements needed to move forward have not yet been reached. Today, civilians are taking the life-and-death decision to flee when there is no ceasefire or other agreements in place that would allow them to leave safely. Around the clock, teams are providing emergency aid amid fear and uncertainty. Since the conflict intensified on February 24, Red Cross teams have: • .Distributed more than 1,000 tons of emergency aid, including food, bedding, tents, water and hygiene items to more than 300,000 people across Ukraine. • .Supported the evacuation of over 58,000 people from the towns of Energodar and Sumy and the Kviy, Kharkiv and Kherson regions. • .Provided first aid training to more than 42,000 people across the country. • .Assisted with the evacuation of people with disabilities. • .Supported logistics pipelines into Ukraine to ensure critical items can be delivered. • .In Kharkiv, Ukraine, the ICRC recently provided 60 tons of food, water and hygiene items to people in need. In the coming weeks, Red Cross volunteers will increase their work reuniting separated families, providing food and other household items, and increasing awareness about areas contaminated by unexploded ordnance. The current needs are tremendous, critical among them include water delivery, support to health facilities and medical care for families wounded. In Neighboring Countries: Help for Those Fleeing their Homes People impacted by the conflict are heartbroken, as they are forced to flee from their homes. Each day, Red Cross and Red Crescent teams in the region are rolling up their sleeves to assist with this dire humanitarian crisis as it unfolds. In Poland, Hungary, Moldova, Belarus, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Lithuania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Red Cross volunteers are supporting displaced people. Trucks and planes loaded with goods are arriving regularly to provide critical items for those in need. Red Cross teams from all over Europe are also providing aid supplies to those fleeing Ukraine. For example, more than nine tons of aid donated by the Portuguese Red Cross, which includes blankets and hygiene kits, arrived in Moldova this week and are being distributed to families in the community. • .Teams across eastern Europe are: • .Distributing food, water, clothing, bedding, hygiene sets, blankets and even handing out SIM cards so that families can stay connected amid the turmoil. • .Providing medical care at border crossings. • .Supplying baby products and services for children. • .Pitching tents and preparing shelters for refugees who need a comforting place to sleep and feel safe. • .Providing health-related services and medical support to those in need. • .Providing psychosocial support for those who are physically, mentally and emotionally stressed. • .Helping connect people to other essential services. Role of the American Red Cross The American Red Cross has donated $10 million dollars to the IFRC in support the vital work being done in Ukraine and in surrounding countries. These funds support the most vital humanitarian needs including food, shelter, critical care items and first aid. RED CROSS | SEE PAGE 21

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