Category Archives: Volunteer

Introducing the Hunger Hike Keynote – Race Johnson


Purdue Football Alumnus to Give Keynote

Race Johnson, Purdue alumnus & former Boilermaker football player, will offer remarks to kick off this year’s Hunger Hike THIS Sunday, September 16 at 1:30 p.m. at Riehle Plaza (N 2nd Street, Lafayette). Throughout his life, Race has worked hard and has had a special commitment to serving his community as an individual, as an athlete and with his family and church — and he’s eager to share his story THIS Sunday.

Son of Bill & Jill Johnson, Race was born in Indianapolis and grew up in Carmel. Race has a younger brother, Steele, and younger sister, Hollyn. Steele is a diver at Purdue who has won four NCAA championships and a silver medal at the 2016 Olympics.

A high school athlete, Race joined the Purdue football team as a walkon in 2013. He was an Academic All-Big Ten player who played in three games in 2015, and eight games in 2016. Race earned a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Purdue University (West Lafayette) in May 2017. He is currently a member of the Lugar Real Estate Team in Indianapolis.

Join us THIS Sunday to meet Race and hear his remarks at the Hunger Hike kick-off event at 1:30 p.m. (Riehle Plaza).


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Introducing the Hunger Hike Co-chairs


Introducing the Hunger Hike 2018 Co-Chairs
Coach Sharon Versyp & Coach David Kucik

The Hunger Hike 2018 co-chairs are Purdue Coaches Sharon Versyp (women’s basketball) & Dave Kucik (men’s & women’s crew & rowing).

Coaches Versyp & Kucik are perfect ambassadors for Hunger Hike. Both have a high standard for their own work, hold their teams to a high standard and have a serious commitment to serving their community — especially in supporting food assistance and nutrition programs. As wonderful role models they will also be engaging the collegiate athletes on their teams in this Hunger Hike event.

Join us THIS Sunday to meet Coaches Sharon Versyp & Dave Kucik and hear their remarks at the Hunger Hike kick-off event at 1:30 p.m. (Riehle Plaza).


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Pumpkin Patch Benefits Hunger Hike


Volunteer & Raise Money for Hunger Hike 2017

pumpkinpatch2

Congress Street United Methodist Church has selected HUNGER HIKE as one of the benefactors of their annual Great Pumpkin Patch. This partnership includes Hunger Hike providing volunteers (3 hour shifts) to work at the 14th annual  Great Pumpkin Patch — as well as bake and ice cookies (2 – 2.5 hour shifts).


If you’re willing to either help with the Pumpkin Patch (Oct. 6 – 31) or with the Cookies (NOW thru Oct. 20) — here’s what you do:

  1. pumpkinpatch3Sign up — Pumpkin Patch, click HERE; Cookie Baking, click HERE; Cookie Icing,
    click HERE
  2. Enter “Hunger Hike” in the Comments section
  3. SUBMIT, Volunteer & have fun

Please sign up online TODAY — and volunteer, have fun, sell pumpkins, bake cookies, ice cookies and help Hunger Hike achieve its goal of $115,000.


Need some pumpkins? Please consider visiting the Great Pumpkin Patch of the Congress Street United Methodist Church. Each purchase you make supports Hunger Hike.

The Great Pumpkin Patch is open October 6-31 from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. — rain or shine — across the street from Tropicanoe Cove & Loeb Stadium. In addition to pumpkins, you’ll also find a unique variety of gourds — plus their famous homemade sugar cookies (pictured below), homemade breads, candies, crafts & much more!

Since 2004 Congress Street United Methodist Church has grown in its Great Pumpkin Patch outreach — you must check it out. Remember ALL proceeds from pumpkin sales go to three local non-profit agencies — including Hunger Hike.

So please head out to the Great Pumpkin Patch, get in the Halloween spirit and support Hunger Hike.

 

 

Volunteer Sign Up Sheets

Hunger Hike relies on hundreds of volunteers each year to make it a success.

Current Volunteer Sign-up Sheets

Title Start Date End Date Open Spots
Hunger Hike September 17, 2023 September 17, 2023 68

Please login to view and edit your volunteer sign ups.

Photos

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Check out the photos from Hunger Hike:


Hunger Hike 2019

Honorary Co-Chairs


Katie Gearlds | Head Coach | Purdue Women’s Basketball

Katie Gearlds is the head coach of the Purdue women’s basketball team. Returning to her alma mater, the 2007 All-American, is the ninth coach in program history.

Gearlds spent eight seasons taking Marian University to unparalleled success as its head coach, winning back-to-back NAIA National Championships in 2016 and 2017. She is the winningest coach in Marian history with a 228-50 record, an 82% clip.

Prior to her jump into coaching, Gearlds spent three seasons in the WNBA with the Seattle Storm. She was taken with the seventh overall pick in the 2007 WNBA Draft, the highest selection ever from Purdue and the 10th top-10 pick in Big Ten history. She also spent time playing professionally in Spain, Greece, Portugal and Slovakia.

One of the most-prolific players at Purdue, Gearlds was a three-year starter for the Boilermakers during her career from 2004-07, appearing in 133 games with 100 starts. She ranks fourth in program history with 1,974 points and was the ninth fastest to join the 1,000-point club, reaching the plateau in just 80 games. For her efforts, Gearlds was named a Legend of Mackey Arena during its 50th anniversary season. Gearlds earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology with minors in psychology and communications form Purdue in 2007.

MORE.


Jason Mitchell | Boatman & Head Women’s Coach | Purdue Rowing & Crew Team

Jason Mitchell began his adventure into the rowing world in the Fall of 2005 while attending Purdue University. During his time on Purdue Crew, he was able to be a part of a Lightweight 8 the earned medals at the SIRA, Dad Vail, and ACRA regattas. After graduating from college, Jason served as an assistant Purdue coach for three semesters.

He was hired as the Director or Rowing at The College of William & Mary in 2012. In the summer of 2014, Mitchell also helped start a high school rowing program for the high schools in the Williamsburg area. The Williamsburg Boat Club Juniors program had its first season in the Fall of 2014. Jason was the men’s coach the 2014-15 season and moved to the Freshman/Novice coach for the 2015-16 season. In 2016, Coach Mitchell began his first season as Head Coach of the Pennsylvania State University Crew Team, where he built the team into a larger more competitive club.

Coach Mitchell’s coaching journey now came full circle when he returned to Purdue as the Boatman & Head Women’s Coach.

MORE.


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Resources

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Hunger Hike Resources — Quick Links

Hunger Hike Fundraising

  • Fundraiser Sign-up Form – click HERE 
  • Launch Page – click HERE
  • Donate to Hunger Hike click HERE
  • Collection Form (PDF) – click HERE

Promotional Materials – More coming soon

— Feel free to use anything below to promote Hunger Hike and your Hunger Hike team’s fundraising efforts.

  • Hunger Hike Flier (8.5″x11″) PDF – HERE
  • Hunger Hike Postcard PDF – HERE
  • Hunger Hike Handouts (5.5″x8.5″) PDF – HERE
  • Hunger Hike Poster PDF – | 11″x17″ | 
  • Bulletin/Newsletter Insert 2-sided (8.5″x11″) PDF – HERE
  • Bulletin/Newsletter Announcements (personalized) PDF – HERE 
  • Social Media
    • Facebook Banner/Cover Photo JPG – HERE
    • Facebook, Twitter, Instagram Ad Photo JPG – HERE
  • Hunger Hike PhotosHERE
  • Logo HERE

Other Information

  • Sponsoring Organizations – HERE
  • Event SponsorsHERE

Sponsoring Organizations

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All Hunger Hike proceeds benefit the Lafayette Urban Ministry Food Programs, Food Finders Food Bank, Inc. & St. Thomas Aquinas’ Haiti Ministry. Learn more about the Hunger Hike sponsoring organizations.


Lafayette Urban Ministry

The Lafayette Urban Ministry (LUM) is an organization of more than 47 churches that serves as a social safety net for Lafayette’s needy children and families.

For more than 50 years, LUM has worked to give back the hope, the future, and the self-respect to low-income people in the Greater Lafayette area. LUM takes an active role in trying to change social injustices and improve the quality of life for the poor of Indiana.

Website | 420 N 4th Street, Lafayette, IN 47901 | (765) 423-2691


STA Haiti

Haiti Ministry – St. Thomas Aquinas Center

Several times a year, the Haiti Committee at St. Thomas Aquinas travel to St. Francis Xavier Church in Baudin, Haiti. St. Tom’s has over the decades offer medical treatment, administered medicine, improved the quality of water, assisted with strategies to grow food, store food and produce and store seeds.

St. Thomas Aquinas serves as the Catholic Center at Purdue University. The parish engages the youthful energy of all its members to nurture their faith journey across all generations through liturgy, spiritual and intellectual formation, stewardship, and justice with peace. They joyfully welcome all who wish to meet life’s challenges through lived faith in Jesus Christ.

Website | 535 W State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47906 | (765) 743-4652


Food Finders Food Bank, Inc.

FFFB

Since 1981, Food Finders Food Bank has been a critical component of the welfare of Tippecanoe and 15 surrounding counties in Indiana: providing food to member agencies, advocating for the hungry, and educating the public about hunger-related issues.

Funded by United Way, foundations, grants, the USDA, corporations, sponsors, and individual donors, Food Finders Food Bank annually distributes more than 7 million pounds of food to a network of non-profit organizations that work to alleviate hunger throughout north central Indiana.

Website | 1204 Greenbush Street, Lafayette, IN 47904 | (765) 471-0062


Event Sponsors

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Event Sponsor – 2022

Event Sponsors

If you’re interested in becoming a 2022 Hunger Hike event sponsor, please call or email us (765-423-2691 | info@hungerhike.org).

Here are our Hunger Hike 2022 event sponsors — so far. Please thank them for joining the Fight Against Hunger —  and support their businesses, please.


Diamond Level – $5,000 – $9,999


Gold Level  – $2,000 – $4,999


Bronze Level – $500 – $999

  • Centier Bank
  • Essential Touch Massage
  • Greyhouse Coffee & Supply Co.
  • Henry Poor Lumber Company
  • NeoVision Optical
  • Warren County REMC

Friend Level – $300 – $499

  • Arni’s Restaurant
  • Chosnek Law, PC

In Kind Gifts & Services

  • 95.3 Bob FM
  • Instant Copy Printing
  • Purdue Reamer Club – Xtra Special
  • Rat Pak Mobile DJs
  • Smiles Unlimited
  • Scott Starkey
  • Studio b Dance & Fitness
  • Texas Roadhouse Lafayette

Wish to be a Hunger Hike Event Sponsor?

If so, please call or email us (765-423-2691 | info@hungerhike.org).


Volunteer

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Hunger Hike relies on dozens of volunteers for the Hunger Hike Kick-off event & 3K Walk and more. Please consider becoming a Hunger Hike volunteer as well as a Hunger Hike fundraiser. Sign up to volunteer online, click HERE.


  • Hunger Hike (3K Walk) – Volunteers Sign up HERE
    • Set up, Check in, Water distribution, Route guides, Break down & more

Thank you.


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