All Faiths Food Bank hosts Walk to End Summer Hunger

By Ian Swaby
| 10:15 a.m. April 1, 2025

Participants in the walk head down the path at Nathan Benderson Park.

Sarasota
Neighbors

The number of people in the local community has increased, said Nelle Miller, president and CEO of All Faiths Food Bank.

She said the food bank increased its outreach by 14 percent last year and plans to do so further this year, while there are roughly 35 to 40,000 children who will need help getting food during the summer months.

On March 30, the food bank's annual Walk to End Summer Hunger kicked off its annual Campaign Against Summer Hunger, which lasts from April 1 to May 15, at Nathan Benderson Park.

Campaign Chair Lisa Krouse noted to attendees that Florida opted out of the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children for the second year, which she said "takes away about $250 billion out of feeding our kids this summer."

Miller also told the Observer, "There are a lot of unknowns, and we're proactively planning for what could happen to the supply of food and the cost of food over the next 12 months, especially."

The event included the announcement of $1 million in matching funds, which Miller called "about as high as it's ever been."

"I think people anticipate this," Miller said of the walk. "It's a really uplifting action that people can take in support. They can come out and show what they care about."

Students from Booker Middle School cut the ribbon and led the walk. Left to right: Principal LaShawn Frost, 8th graders Cooper Schaeffer, Isabella Shugerman and Izabella Shaffer, Alexis Pitche, Haley Shaffer, eigth grader Piper Fanchur, Chad Schaeffer, and eighth graders Picci Johnson, Allen Schaeffer and Laura Viamonte.

Debbie Beach hands a shirt to Anna DeFerrari.

Charles Swigard walks with his dog Beau.

Addison Kibel, 9, and her grandmother Diane Crawford, walk together.

Kim and Blaine McFarlane performed volunteer duties for two organizations. They are training two Dogs Inc guide dogs, Holden and Dreamer, bringing them to different places so they can be exposed to noises and activity.

Norm Sharrit accepts a breakfast from Katy Balon of Pop's Sunset Grill.

Campaign Against Summer Hunger Chair Lisa Krouse speaks before the walk.

Flora Kirwin of HealthFit at Sarasota Memorial Hospital led the warmup session.

Walkers, including David and Stacy Elwart (center) perform the warmup exercises.

First to arrive were Cathy Leung and Bianca Lopez, who both ran the route.

Ruben Campusano and Nicole Mobley complete the walk.

Gabriela Gorka arrives back at the park's Finish Tower with her son Isaac Freeman, 4

Norm and Melinda Sharrit complete the walk.

Cameron Plehn, 6, finishes the walk, on which she took along her stuffed bear Lightning, who came from a Tampa Bay Lightning game.

Kristin Gladieux, Nolan Monroe, 3 and his mother Heather Monroe were part of a group representing Target.

author

Ian Swaby

Ian Swaby is the Sarasota neighbors writer for the Observer. Ian is a Florida State University graduate of Editing, Writing, and Media and previously worked in the publishing industry in the Cayman Islands.