Community Kitchen walk and festival bring in more than $60,000 to fight hunger

About 200 people took part in the walk or attended the Community Harvest Festival that followed near the finish line.

The Community Kitchen says its first Walk to Squash Hunger, held Saturday at Wheelock Park in Keene, brought in more than $60,000 for food assistance efforts, with more donations still arriving and raffle sales still being counted.

The fundraiser replaced the organization’s long-running Local Harvest Dinner, which had been held at its Mechanic Street headquarters. Barb Weisman, the nonprofit’s executive director, said moving the event outdoors allowed far more people to take part and removed the limits created by the smaller indoor space. She added that the peer-to-peer fundraising format also meant there was no ceiling on the amount participants could generate, and contributions came in from as far away as Colorado, New York and California through friends and relatives connected to local walkers.

About 200 people took part in the walk or attended the Community Harvest Festival that followed near the finish line. After completing either a 10-mile Cheshire Rail Trail loop or a 2.5-mile route along the Appel Way Trail, participants gathered for grilled burgers, hot dogs and a spread that included corn on the cob, potato salad, coleslaw and baked beans. The event also featured live music from Granite Underground and a dunk tank that drew attention from children and adults.

The money raised is expected to help the organization get through the winter, Weisman said. She also said she may consider adding a cycling event in the future, drawing on her own background in charity rides.

The Community Kitchen serves 350-400 families each week through its pantry program and provides about 400,000 hot meals each year. Weisman said the walk was meant both to recognize the abundance many people have and to remember neighbors who do not share the same access to food.

Many of those involved in Saturday’s event were volunteers or longtime supporters. Maureen Jenkins, who has helped with the organization for about four years, said the need for food aid continues to grow and that partnerships between groups make a stronger response possible. Carol Jue, another longtime volunteer, said she worries that embarrassment may keep some people from asking for help when they need it.

Several teams and families also used the walk as a way to support local outreach. Kristen Lefebvre joined the effort with Love Thy Neighbor Ministries in West Swanzey, which runs a public food pantry at the Village Church in West Swanzey on Wednesdays from 4-6 p.m. and Fridays from noon-3 p.m. She said some of the pantry’s supplies come from The Community Kitchen.

Other walkers included volunteers, children and grandchildren, such as Mike Kolodziej, who brought his grandson Lincoln Kolodziej, 11, along with the family. He said the boy enjoys giving back during the summer. On the shorter route, Carol Jue and Nancy Newton completed the 2.5-mile walk with Newton’s dog Buddy. Newton said supporting the effort is part of helping feed the community.

The day began with walkers setting out along the trail system and ended with food, music and family activities at the park. Weisman said the hope is that the event will return and become a regular part of the local calendar.