Donor Laces Up for A Run Against Hunger

When the pandemic struck in 2020 Jay Russell hit the road to raise awareness of hunger in our community.

Jay has supported The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) for the past 10 years. In that time, he has also run a few marathons, including the 26.2 miles from Hopkinton to Boston. After recently joining GBFB’s Board of Advisors, Jay decided to organize a fundraiser—and what better way to do it than through his own solo marathon?

This past December, after a 16-week training schedule, Jay covered a 26.2-mile route through Natick, Wellesley, Needham, Newton, and Boston. Friends and family members cheered him on along the route, including his wife Catherine, who joined him for the final 12 miles of the run.

Jay blazed right past his $10,000 fundraising goal, raising more than $20,000 with the help of over 70 friends and family members. He is deeply gratified to be able to help provide tens of thousands of meals for our neighbors in need with the support of his network.

“I’ve been blown away by the support and generosity people put forth,” Jay says.

“A lot of people may have been in a situation where they faced hunger in their own lives. Everyone understands the importance of supporting a cause like GBFB. It’s easy to understand the impact.”

Interested in starting your own fundraiser to support GBFB? Visit: GBFB.org/fundraising.