The Hunger Walk in San Clemente: DUPLICATE
The goal of the 26th Annual Hunger walk is to get 600 walkers involved to help raise money to assist friends in need in the community. The walk is two and a half miles long and about 100 volunteers will be present at the San Clemente Community Center.
“Their focus is on family supporting the hungry and the walk is their biggest fundraiser,” Cheryl France Moran said. “It’s really fun and you get a t-shirt, something you can do with the whole family like the moms with strollers.”
The Community center is located in San Clemente. The goal is to serve the under privileged while treating whole families at a time. Providing help such as food assistance, medical bills, senior assistance, transportation, and rental assistance, also mentioned they average 2959 people a month that are in need.
“This has been our biggest fundraiser with a pre party dinner for 75 dollars and a finish line party for those participating in the race,” said, the executive director Susan DeGennaro.
She encourages participants to come stretch early and listen to a local band known as Old Money Jim.
“I consider them more then people hurting, they are local-neighbors and friends,” DeGennaro said.
In 1999, Ellen Gilchrist, the founder was working with a north Orange County assistance group but branched off to start a chapter she felt was needed in south Orange county even when no one felt it was necessary. She started collecting food and toys for Christmas out of her car before Family Assistance Ministries took off.
Mary Perdue, the executive director explains that everyone coming in starts out with a case manager and if someone needs glasses for instance, there are local doctors that have partnered up to provide them. She says they look at the whole way to help a person. There are 90 community partners involved to help assist in several situations.
For more info please call Family Assistance Ministries at 949 492 8477 or online info at: Family assistance.org