- April 4, 2025
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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.
Photo by Ian SwabyDebbie Beach hands a shirt to Anna DeFerrari.
Photo by Ian SwabyCharles Swigard walks with his dog Beau.
Photo by Ian SwabyAddison Kibel, 9, and her grandmother Diane Crawford, walk together.
Photo by Ian SwabyKim 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.
Photo by Ian SwabyNorm Sharrit accepts a breakfast from Katy Balon of Pop's Sunset Grill.
Photo by Ian SwabyCampaign Against Summer Hunger Chair Lisa Krouse speaks before the walk.
Photo by Ian SwabyFlora Kirwin of HealthFit at Sarasota Memorial Hospital led the warmup session.
Photo by Ian SwabyWalkers, including David and Stacy Elwart (center) perform the warmup exercises.
Photo by Ian SwabyParticipants in the walk head down the path at Nathan Benderson Park.
Photo by Ian SwabyFirst to arrive were Cathy Leung and Bianca Lopez, who both ran the route.
Photo by Ian SwabyRuben Campusano and Nicole Mobley complete the walk.
Photo by Ian SwabyGabriela Gorka arrives back at the park's Finish Tower with her son Isaac Freeman, 4
Photo by Ian SwabyNorm and Melinda Sharrit complete the walk.
Photo by Ian SwabyCameron Plehn, 6, finishes the walk, on which she took along her stuffed bear Lightning, who came from a Tampa Bay Lightning game.
Photo by Ian SwabyKristin Gladieux, Nolan Monroe, 3 and his mother Heather Monroe were part of a group representing Target.
Photo by Ian SwabyThe 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."
