Community mobilizes for Hunger Walk 2025

It’s always a heartwarming and uplifting experience at Fort Steilacoom Park on the first Saturday in May – folks flowing in by singles, pairs and groups bright and early to participate in Emergency Food Network’s annual Hunger Walk. 

At this year’s walk on May 3, the event start time was 8 a.m. and people of all ages showed up right on schedule. Suddenly, the park was filled with smiling faces as friends and neighbors, many bringing their happy dog companions, greeted one another while in line at the registration table to get their bright green Hunger Walk 2025 T-shirts and bib number. This was community in action, selflessly volunteering their Saturday morning in the early day damp chill to do something to help lessen food insecurity for those in our community who depend on food banks to feed themselves and their families.

Among the crowd of walkers was Daffodil royalty: Princesses Eryn from Lakes High School, Princess Brenda from Clover Park High School, and Princess Violet from Harrison Preparatory School. Their chaperone, Demetria Zuniga, is a longtime at-large Daffodil Festival board member. 

“We do a lot of things with the Emergency Food Network, and we’ve had a great relationship with them over the years,” she said. 

Daffodil princesses not only take part in the walk, but they are also literally the cheerleaders on the sidelines shaking pom-poms, waving placards of gratitude and encouragement, motivating, smiling and waving at the walkers as they pass by. Princesses give of their time and energy to work in EFN’s warehouse as well, helping to repackage food and assist with other tasks necessary to get food on the trucks and out to the people. 

Then there’s EFN’s annual dinner and auction event where princesses again show up and make it even more fabulous. This year, Abundance 2025 will be held on Saturday, Oct. 25, at the McGavick Conference Center, Clover Park Technical College.

Also in the crowd was a sizeable team of walkers from Little Church on the Prairie. Their presence always brings a special element to the Hunger Walk since they are consistently top fundraisers along with LakewoodGrace Church, St. Mark’s Lutheran Church by the Narrows, and Tacoma Public Utilities.

Little Church on the Prairie member Gayle West helps lead the Little Church’s enthusiastic participation.

“I have a good team and we have a good church with a lot of generous people,” she said. “This year, we have 26 people walking and one virtual. She’s on a cruise but she walked on her cruise ship.”

Live music from The Possible Solutions kept the atmosphere upbeat as walkers gradually gathered at the stage for the pre-walk program. EFN Executive Director Michelle Douglas welcomed the throng. 

“This is my favorite event of the year. I know I say that about all our events, but I just want to start with a big, big thank you,” she said. “It took a lot of people to put this together – so many volunteers, our incredible staff at EFN, all our vendors, the band…,” and much applause followed.

Douglas gave the very reason why the Hunger Walk was being held, and why it was so critical for community to support this annual kick-off for Hunger Awareness Month. She said that last year, one in four people went to a food pantry in Washington state, which she described as “staggeringly high.” She also made clear how Hunger Walk participants weren’t just taking part in a fun event and raising money – they were directly helping children and youth who will soon be on summer break from school and with it, an interruption in the reliable meals they get there while school is in session.

Everyone could participate in a pre-walk Zumba workout to warm up before heading out.

“We do this each May and people ask us why we do it then. Our reason is that 70,000 kids are going to hit the food pantry starting in June. Those are all kids who are on free and reduced lunches at school right now. May is traditionally a really low time for donations and support for food but it’s a time that is incredibly crucial for us,” Douglas said. 

With Hunger Awareness Month comes many opportunities to make a difference in the lives of those who suffer with food insecurity. Through EFN, community can continue Hunger Walk fundraising throughout the month and take part in its restaurant takeover events.

Another way to get involved is for home gardeners to remember the hungry when planting and harvesting vegetable gardens. Plant an extra row or two just for food bank giving. If you have too much yield to consume by the time late summer arrives, give it to EFN or your local food pantry.

As Douglas said, “When you’re growing extra food and you cannot eat another zucchini or tomato around about August, that is a great time to think of your local food pantry. You can give that food right in your community. You don’t have to bring it all the way to EFN. Everyone has a food pantry in their community and if you don’t know where it is, we’re happy to connect you to it.” 

Pierce County Council Chair Jani Hitchen is a staunch EFN and Hunger Walk supporter. She comes to the park every year to walk with everyone and her presence is most appreciated. 

“The Pierce County Council wanted to make sure that you all are thanked and EFN is thanked. They are doing such amazing things to keep people fed across the entire county,” Hitchen said. “While their homebase is here in Lakewood, they work incredibly hard all the way out to Mount Rainier, into Key Peninsula, with their (food bank) partners across the county feeding thousands of youth, seniors, families – hardworking community members who just need a little help to stay fed and healthy. Every dollar, every can of tuna, every step you take today is going to help them with that work.”

This year, Hitchen brought a special message from the council as she read from a certificate of appreciation sent by her fellow council members “…in recognition of your unwavering commitment to alleviating hunger in Pierce County since 1982,” she read. “Your organization has served as the backbone of our county’s emergency food system, distributing more than 13 million pounds of food annually through the network of over 75 partner programs including food pantries, meal sites and shelters. Your innovative initiatives ensure that nutritious food reaches our most vulnerable neighbors.” 

Douglas revealed that last year, 13.1 million visits were made to its network which was more than a 150 percent increase since COVID, and it just keeps getting higher every month. Now, with severe cuts to food programs from the Trump administration, the work to feed people is even tougher but EFN’s goal this year is to distribute 20 million pounds of food, seven million more pounds than last year.

“I’m going to ask each of you to be an ambassador with us. It is going to be your opportunity to talk about us as you’re out in community and to think about relationships that we may not have that you can connect us to,” Douglas said. “We’re not going to get there alone. We’re going to need each and every one of you to get there.”

Learn more at efoodnet.org.