16th Annual March for the Food Bank

Floor Speech

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Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, food costs are sky high, and regular people are struggling to put dinner on the table for their families. More and more people are relying on emergency food assistance at food banks and food pantries just to survive.

This extraordinary need, exacerbated by Trump's cruelty and his administration's awful policies that have increased hunger made this year's March for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts more important than ever.

Every November, an incredible team of antihunger advocates, concerned neighbors, and Federal, State, and local officials embark on a 43-mile walk to raise funds for and awareness about the terrible problem of hunger.

As always, NEPM's incredible radio host Monte Belmonte led the group, pushing a shopping cart and rallying us to keep up the fight. This year, Monte's son Pax marched with us to support his dad and our effort to end hunger.

I was joined by my incredible family--my wife, Lisa; my son, Patrick; Wendy, Bill, and Courtney Talcott; and baby Hazel. Their support and commitment to the cause of ending hunger means the world to me.

I am grateful to Congressman Richie Neal and former Congressman Joe Kennedy for joining the march. I thank my colleagues in State government for showing up and continuing to work tirelessly to protect people in Massachusetts from the cruelty of this administration: Our amazing Governor, Maura Healey; Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources Commissioner Ashley Randle; State Senators Jo Comerford and Jake Oliveira; State Representatives Natalie Blais, Mindy Domb, Lindsay Sabadosa, Homar Gomez, Shirley Arriaga, and Pat Duffy.

I thank Northampton Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra, Greenfield Mayor Ginny Desorgher, Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia, and Chicopee Mayor John Vieau for marching with us.

The hundreds of other people who joined the march--students, advocates, members of my staff, community leaders such as Tim Garvin of the United Way of Central Massachusetts, Sean Barry, Shannon from the Martin Luther King Center in Springfield, and so many, many more--are incredible. We had double the number of marchers this year compared to last.

Along the way, the marchers stopped by some of the incredible food pantries that serve the people of western Massachusetts: the Amherst Survival Center, UMass Amherst Campus Pantry, Stone Soup Cafe, Kate's Kitchen and Providence Ministries, and Lorraine's Soup Kitchen & Pantry.

We were able to keep going thanks to the nourishment of De La Luz and Holyoke Community College Culinary Arts program, Berkshire Brewing Company, Bub's Bar-B-Que, Holyoke Hummus, and Hillside Pizza. A shout- out to Dean's Beans coffee for keeping us caffeinated during the entire march.

I also thank local law enforcement--Deerfield and Springfield Police, and the Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin County Sheriff's Departments-- for keeping us safe along the march.

I thank our media sponsors--New England Public Media and WRSI 93.9, The River--for broadcasting the walk and raising awareness among people in western Massachusetts.

I am so grateful to my friend, Andrew Morehouse, of the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts and his entire team, particularly the development team, for all they do to improve food security among people in western Massachusetts and for their work in organizing this incredible event every single year.

This march is tough. The days are very long, and we were exhausted by the end of it, but it is nothing compared to the struggle people in poverty face every single day just trying to survive in the United States of America, the richest country in the history of the world.

My great desire is to never again have to do this walk, not because of the long days or the cold weather or the aching legs and feet, but because I dream of a day when every family is food secure and no person goes to bed wondering where their next meal is going to come from.

Sadly, we are further from that goal today than we were a year ago. The Trump administration and the Republicans in Congress have taken a sledgehammer to basic needs programs that help regular people afford food. They have completely ignored rising costs and the needs of real people, instituting the largest cuts to healthcare and food assistance in American history, all to give tax breaks to the wealthiest people in this country.

This year's march raised nearly a million dollars, and that is a lot of money, but it is nowhere near enough to make up for the cuts imposed by Trump's big, ugly bill.

Charity alone has never, will never, can never make up for the hundreds of billions of dollars in Federal cuts. Ending hunger requires strong Federal investments in basic needs programs and a strategy championed by the Federal Government.

Until we have a government that is willing to meaningfully invest in basic needs programs, we will continue to march in support of a future where we are able to finally end hunger now.

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