School of Public Policy Once Again Fielding a Team for Monte’s March

For the second year in a row, the UMass Amherst School of Public Policy is fielding a team for Monte’s March for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, an annual fundraiser for the regional nonprofit.

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The two-day event, this year taking place on Nov. 23 and 24, is sponsored by Northampton’s WRSI radio station. WRSI disc jockey Monte Belmonte, U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern and Food Bank Director Andrew Morehouse will lead community members on a 43-mile march that begins in Springfield and ends in Greenfield.

The School of Public Policy team is open to students, alumni, staff, faculty and friends, who are invited to take part in the march, make a donation to the cause or help spread the word.

SPP graduate student Sam Hockenbury has taken part in Monte’s March in the past, as a UMass undergraduate. “Letting people go hungry is a choice. I choose not to,” he said.

“Everyone deserves access to adequate nutrition,” added fellow SPP student Courtney Fahlin, another team member. “As advocates, we have the power to make this happen.”

Marcie Muehlke, an SPP alumna and staff member, offered a simple reason for marching: “Because everyone should have enough to eat.”

The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts provides food to community pantries, shelters and meal sites in Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire counties. In 2020, the food bank and its partner sites provided food to an average of 102,000 individuals monthly, an increase of 12% from 2019. Last year, Monte’s March raised more than $610,000 to support the food bank.

“It’s hard to overstate our gratitude to Monte and Congressman McGovern for bringing attention to food insecurity and raising money that goes directly to providing meals for people who need them. They’re both national treasures,” said Laura Sylvester, public policy manager at the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, who received a dual MPPA/MPH from the School of Public Policy in 2016.

“As Congressman McGovern always says, hunger is a political problem,” she continued. “There’s no reason anyone who lives here in the wealthiest country in the history of the world should be food insecure. That’s why at the same time we’re feeding those who need help, we’re working to end hunger by addressing its underlying causes – low wages, insecure housing, inadequate healthcare and other social determinants of health.

“Many thanks to the team at SPP for marching this year,” Sylvester added. “As a proud alum, I love that SPP literally walks its talk!”

To join or support SPP’s team, visit its webpage at https://www.pledgereg.com/4042/Team/17845