WCVB CHANNEL 5 AND THE GREATER BOSTON FOOD BANK PARTNER TO HELP RAISE AWARENESS AND FUNDS TO FIGHT HUNGER
Contacts:
Ro Dooley Webster
781-433-4008
rdooley@hearst.com
Karen Fisher
781-433-4771
kfisher@hearst.com
BOSTON, MA – Sept. 12, 2019 – September is Hunger Action Month and to help shed light on the reality of food insecurity throughout the Bay State, WCVB Channel 5 is partnering with The Greater Boston Food Bank on a special day-long fundraiser on Tuesday, September 17th. Hosted by WCVB NewsCenter 5 anchor Maria Stephanos, “Project CommUNITY: Fighting Hunger” will raise much needed awareness and funds in the fight against hunger. Here in Massachusetts, statistics show that 1 in 11 people is food insecure, while 1 in 9 children and 1 in 13 seniors are food insecure, and hunger issues are equally prevalent for those living in the city as well as the suburbs.
Between noon and 7:30PM, WCVB will air several live cut-ins throughout the afternoon during regularly scheduled programming featuring various topics related to food insecurity. Viewers will be encouraged to call 781-433-4009 to be immediately connected to volunteers who can process a donation or assist with questions of where to find help. During the day’s NewsCenter 5’s newscasts, stories of Massachusetts residents of various ages and walks of life who are struggling with food insecurity issues will be featured, including children, college students and more. In addition, various programs, agencies, community food pantries and even a mobile market for college students will be highlighted in order to draw attention to the resources available to those who find themselves food insecure.
“Thousands of people here in Massachusetts go hungry every day, and the resulting long-term effects on health and wellness are debilitating,” said Bill Fine, WCVB President and General Manager. “Through this important televent, WCVB and our longtime partner, The Greater Boston Food Bank, will shine a light on the crisis of food insecurity in our communities and provide some relief and much needed resources to help turn the tide of hunger.”
“September is Hunger Action Month, a time when we call attention to the everyday reality of food insecurity that faces millions of our neighbors across the county,” said Catherine D’Amato, president and CEO of The Greater Boston Food Bank. “Our friends at WCVB have generously dedicated a whole day to sharing those lived experiences of hunger and the 500+ programs who provide food to those in need in Eastern Massachusetts. We appreciate the commitment to raising awareness to our mission to end hunger and we believe every action counts to become hunger free in our community.”
The special hunger “televent” is part of WCVB’s Project CommUNITY, a public service initiative for 2019 that focuses on lifting the veil on poverty and the struggle to make a living here in Massachusetts. Last May, WCVB hosted a similar televent on the topic of financial literacy that helped hundreds of viewers connect with resources to assist in reducing debt, improve credit or build savings. The goal of the year-long Project CommUNITY effort is to break down the stereotypes of those living at or near the poverty line and provide resources to those living in and around Boston.
About The Greater Boston Food Bank
The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) is the largest hunger-relief organization in New England and among the largest food banks in the country. GBFB provides the equivalent of 50 million healthy meals annually distributed through its network of more than 500 member agencies in the 190 cities and towns across Eastern Massachusetts. GBFB operates four direct service programs at nearly 70 sites throughout the area. A member of Feeding America, the nation’s food bank network, GBFB serves more than 140,000 people every month in its mission to create a hunger-free Eastern Massachusetts. For more information, visit us at GBFB.org, follow us on Facebook, Twitter (@gr8bosfoodbank) and Instagram, or call us at 617.427.5200.
About WCVB Channel 5
WCVB is Boston’s broadcast/digital media leader, providing news, weather, sports, community service and entertainment on multiple platforms including WCVB Channel 5, wcvb.com, WCVB mobile and MeTV Boston. Founded by community leaders in 1972, WCVB is committed to its mission to serve the region with quality local content. In addition to 47 hours of NewsCenter 5 coverage each week, original offerings include Chronicle, the nation’s longest running local news magazine; CityLine, a weekly urban magazine program; and On The Record, a weekly political roundtable. The station has been honored with numerous prestigious national broadcasting honors including the RTDNA Edward R. Murrow Awards for “Best Newscast” and National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation’s “Service to the Community” award. Additional top honors include the National Headliner Awards, Gracie Awards, Gabriel Awards, the regional Emmy’s, Associated Press Awards, Walter Cronkite Award, and duPont Awards. WCVB, Boston’s ABC affiliate station, is owned by Hearst Television, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hearst, a leading media company whose global holdings include 34 television stations and two radio stations. Follow us on Facebook (wcvb5) and Twitter (@wcvb).
About Hearst Television
Hearst Television owns and operates 34 television and two radio stations serving 26 media markets across 39 states reaching over 21 million U.S. television households. Through its partnership with nearly all of the major networks, Hearst Television distributes national content over nearly 70 video channels including programming from ABC, NBC, CBS, CW, MY Net, MeTV, This TV, Estrella and more. The radio stations are leaders in Baltimore news/talk and rock music listenership. Hearst Television is recognized as one of the industry’s premier companies and has been honored with numerous awards for distinguished journalism, industry innovation, and community service. Hearst Television is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hearst.