Tag Archives: food finders

Hunger Hike 2019 Raised $96,899

End of Decade Total Raised $978,597

At a celebration this week, it was announced that the 28th annual Hunger Hike raised $96,899. Each of sponsoring organizations received $30,230. Collectively, THIS decade, Hunger Hike raised $978,597 (10 year total) – an amazing accomplishment in the fight against hunger. The celebration was capped off with the presentation of checks to representatives of the three sponsoring organizations: Duane Sellers & Chuck Anderson representing St. Thomas Aquinas Haiti Ministry; Katy Bunder, Food Finders Food Bank, Inc.; and Joe Micon, Lafayette Urban Ministry. All major donors and event sponsors were also recognized.

A majority of the money comes from local churches ($49,033). The top 5 CHURCH fundraisers:

  1. St. Thomas Aquinas ($30,031)
  2. Chapel of the Good Shepherd
  3. St. John’s Episcopal
  4. Bethany Presbyterian 
  5. Central Presbyterian

The top six INDIVIDUAL fundraisers:

  1. Rob Pahl ($10,930) – First individual to raise over $10,000
  2. Fr. Patrick Baikauskas, OP
  3. Jane & Duane Sellers 
  4. Dr. Michael Lockwood
  5. Patti O’Callaghan

The top organization/group TEAMS:

  1. Decatur Street Kids ($2,079)
  2. Dogs Against Hunger
  3. Purdue English Department – Poets & Critics
  4. Grandma’s Bunch
  5. Benton Central High School CAAP, Food Finders Food Bank & Tippecanoe Democrats (3-way tie)

Special thanks to DIAMOND Level event sponsor — The Lafayette Life Foundation ($5,000 donation); and the Gold Level event sponsors — Walmart/Sam’s Club of Lafayette/West Lafayette ($2,500 donation).

Total Hunger Hike corporate gifts totaled $25,136. To view all of our event sponsors, click HERE.

The proceeds from Hunger Hike 2019 will have a tremendous & immediate positive impact on the Fight Against Hunger — locally, regionally & globally. Thank you all again for supporting Hunger Hike. More information may be found on the Hunger Hike website at hungerhike.org. If you wish to become a Hunger Hike2020 event sponsor, please email hungerhike@lumserve.org).

Please mark your calendars for next year’s Hunger Hike
— Sunday, September 20, 2020 —


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Hunger Hike – HH5K Run registration


Dine at Texas Roadhouse for Hunger Hike


THIS Tuesday – 20% Donated to Hunger Hike

texas-roadhouse-logo-300x152

Support Hunger Hike while you enjoy your meal at Texas Roadhouse . Present the coupon to your server when you order and Texas Roadhouse will donate 20%  of your purchase to Hunger Hike.

Here’s how it works…

  1. Print the Hunger Hike Coupon
  2. On Tuesday, October 1 from 4 to 10 p.m., go to Texas Roadhouse, 3615 SR 38 E, Lafayette
  3. Give “Coupon” to your server
  4. Hunger Hike gets 20% of your food sales — so, eat up!

Please share this with others. THANK YOU. 



The Texas Roadhouse Story


It all began on February 17, 1993, when Kent Taylor opened the first Texas Roadhouse in Clarksville, Indiana.  Kent’s goal was to own not just a family restaurant and not just a steak restaurant, but a place where everyone, of all ages, could come and have a great meal and great fun for a great price.

We like to brag about our Hand-Cut Steaks, Fall-Off-The-Bone Ribs, Made-From-Scratch Sides, and Fresh-Baked Bread. Everything we do goes into making our hearty meals stand out. We handcraft almost everything we serve. We provide larger portions so you get more food for your dollar. And if you want an Ice Cold Beer or Legendary Margarita to wash it all down — well, we have those, too.

Our food’s not the only thing that’s Legendary at the Roadhouse — our fun is too! From our line dancers to our jukebox to our friendly servers, you’ll enjoy every second you spend in a Texas Roadhouse.

At Texas Roadhouse our team has an incredible sense of pride in everything we do. Our passion ensures you have a Legendary Experience every time.  Because of our passion for our guests and our communities, our team members are involved outside the restaurants in their local communities as a way to give back.

The Texas Roadhouse story is simple. Legendary Food, Legendary Service®
all with lots of Legendary Fun!


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Hunger Hike


Hunger Hike 2019 Teams Up with Purdue Coaches


Purdue Coaches Versyp & Kucik – Fighting Hunger

Two prominent Purdue Coaches announced last week that they will be teaming up with Hunger Hike to join the Fight Against Hunger.
This year’s Honorary Hunger Hike Co-chairs are Coach Sharon Versyp (women’s basketball) & Coach Dave Kucik (rowing & crew). Both are passionate about the importance of Hunger Hike and the power of coming together as a community to Fight Hunger. They also put out a challenge to the entire community to start fundraising now to reach this year’s Hunger Hike goal of $100,000.
Coach Versyp & Coach Kucik, the 2019 Hunger Hike Co-chairs, are pictured above with the representatives from the three sponsoring organizations — Lafayette Urban Ministry, Food Finders Food Bank, Inc. & St. Thomas Aquinas Center — who also share how important this annual fundraiser is to funding the food programs necessary to addressing the needs of the families in our community, regionally and abroad.

For more information on how you can begin fundraising for Hunger Hike see below or go to our website — hungerhike.org.


{Pictured above L to R: Katy Bunder, CEO/president, Food Finders Food Bank, Inc.; Fr. Patrick Baikauskas OP, pastor, St. Thomas Aquinas Center; Coach Sharon Versyp; Coach Dave Kucik; Joe Micon, executive director, Lafayette Urban Ministry.}


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Hunger Hike

Become a Hunger Hike Event Sponsor

Dear Friend,

On Sunday, September 22, close to 1,000 people will gather at Riehle Plaza for the annual Hunger Hike. For over 27 years, Lafayette Urban Ministry, Food Finders Food Bank, Inc. and the Haiti Ministry at St. Thomas Aquinas Center have worked together to organize this community event to raise awareness and funds for food programs.

Your business now has the opportunity to be a Hunger Hike event sponsor, join the fight against hunger, and be a part of helping children and families with food insecurities in our community and in Haiti. Your sponsorship will help us reach our goal and will be used as follows:

  • Lafayette Urban Ministry will use this money to support its many food and nutrition programs for at-risk children and working families, including the new LUM Protein Food Pantry, meals for the homeless, snacks & meals for children in summer camp and after school & summer childcare programs, and special dietary needs of the elderly and sick.
  • Food Finders Food Bank, Inc. will use the money to enhance the programs offered in their Mobile Food Pantry, Back Pack Program and Food Resource & Education Center — an important initiative to educate clients in self-sufficiency as a means to reduce their food insecurity.
  • Haiti Ministry at St. Thomas Aquinas Center will use these funds to expand the nursing outreach program, assist in establishing a community store, and further develop the hybrid seed & food storage programs to increase crop yields.

We hope that THIS is the year that you will consider being a partner with Hunger Hike. Below you will find the levels of sponsorship. We encourage you to choose a level that will give you the recognition you deserve. Together we can make important strides to reduce hunger and give hope to the least among us.

Sincerely,


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Hunger Hike

If you’re interested in becoming a 2019 Hunger Hike event sponsor, please call or email us (765-423-2691 | hungerhike@lumserve.org). Please respond ASAP so we may include your business in promotional materials like the posters & T-shirts.


Hunger Hike – Event Sponsorship Levels

Hunger Hike DIAMOND – $5,000 minimum; which includes:

  • At Hunger Hike events: Sponsor name & logo on T-shirts; opportunity to have promotional materials displayed; Sponsor name announced; Sponsor name displayed
  • Hunger Hike website: Sponsor logo with link to company website
  • Sponsor thanked on all social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), newsletters & bulletins of St. Thomas Aquinas, Food Finders Food Bank & LUM (reach: 15,000+)
  • Ad in St. Thomas Aquinas bulletin for two months
  • 4 – Hunger Hike T-shirts
  • Plaque – recognition of sponsorship; Letter of recognition for sponsorship
  • Sponsor name listed in the Food Finders Food Bank annual report

Hunger Hike GOLD – $2,000 (up to $4,999); which includes:

  • At Hunger Hike events: Sponsor name & logo on T-shirts; opportunity to have promotional materials displayed; Sponsor name announced; Sponsor name displayed
  • Hunger Hike website: Sponsor logo with link to company website
  • Sponsor thanked on all social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), newsletters & bulletins of St. Thomas Aquinas, Food Finders Food Bank & LUM (reach: 15,000+)
  • Sponsor name listed in the Food Finders Food Bank annual report

Hunger Hike SILVER – $1,000 (up to $1,999); which includes:

  • At Hunger Hike events: Sponsor name on T-shirts; opportunity to have promotional materials displayed; Sponsor name announced; Sponsor name displayed
  • Hunger Hike website: Sponsor name with link to company website
  • Sponsor thanked on all social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), newsletters & bulletins of St. Thomas Aquinas, Food Finders Food Bank & LUM
  • Sponsor name listed in the Food Finders Food Bank annual report

Hunger Hike BRONZE – $500 (up to $999); which includes:

  • At Hunger Hike events: Sponsor name on T-Shirts, announced and displayed
  • Hunger Hike website & Facebook event page: Sponsor name
  • Sponsor name listed in the Food Finders Food Bank annual report

Hunger Hike FRIEND – $300 (up to $499); which includes:

  • Hunger Hike website: Sponsor name

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Hunger Hike

If you’re interested in becoming a 2019 Hunger Hike event sponsor, please call or email us (765-423-2691 | hungerhike@lumserve.org). Please respond ASAP so we may include your business in promotional materials like the posters & T-shirts.

Hunger Hike 2019 Needs YOUR Support

Dear Friend,

On Sunday, September 22, we will be joining with hundreds of participants in the annual Greater Lafayette Hunger Hike at Riehle Plaza in downtown Lafayette, and we need your help to make our efforts matter!

Here in Central Indiana, surrounded by the most productive farmland on the planet, in the wealthiest nation on earth, food insecurity remains a baffling reality for far too many of our neighbors. A full 70% of the students enrolled in Lafayette School Corporation participate in the federal free and reduced school lunch program.

They are children whose parents constantly worry about whether food at home will run out before they get enough money to buy more. They live in households where there isn’t always enough to afford well-balanced, nutritional meals.

Altogether, about 14 percent of U.S. households – roughly 48 million people or one in seven Americans – go hungry at some point during the year. This number actually underestimates the problem because the survey excludes the homeless and transients, groups that almost by definition lack enough food.

Yet despite the widespread and complex nature of the problem, the solution to food insecurity in our community is surprisingly basic: we must respond by providing food to children and adults who don’t have enough to eat.

One of the most important ways to do this is through your continued support of Hunger Hike.

Hunger Hike is a 3K fundraising walk along the beautiful Wabash Heritage Trail in Lafayette. It takes place on Sunday, September 22. Our goal this year is to raise $100,000 for the hunger relief efforts of Lafayette Urban Ministry, Food Finders Food Bank, Inc. and Haiti Ministry at St. Thomas Aquinas Center. I hope you will come out and hike with us this year. You can find out how by visiting hungerhike.org. I also hope that you will make a generous gift to Hunger Hike, right now, prior to the event.

Your gift of $50, $100, $250, $500, $1,000 or more, will allow our three, hunger-fighting partners to better fulfill their missions of feeding hungry children and strengthening families who are experiencing food insecurity.

  • At Lafayette Urban Ministry, your gift will allow the new LUM Protein Food Pantry to provide healthful meat, fruit, vegetable and dairy products to 2,100 families who will come for help during the next year. It will cover the cost of infant formula and baby food. It will help to provide the paper products that SNAP assistance won’t. It will also help to pay for 20,000 meals to the homeless and 35,000 nutritious snacks to low-income children that LUM provides each day.
  • At Food Finders Food Bank, Inc., your gift will allow for the expansion of the classes and programs offered in their Mobile Food Pantry and Food Resource & Education Center – an important initiative to educate clients in self-sufficiency as a means to reduce their food insecurity.
  • At St. Thomas Aquinas, your gift will reach beyond our community to allow the Haiti Ministry to expand the nursing outreach program, assist in establishing a community store, and further develop the hybrid seed & food storage programs to increase crop yields.

Hunger Hike is our community’s oldest and most well-respected fundraising walk, dating back to the early 1970’s. Last year more than 1,000 people participated in the event. Over the years, more than $2 million dollars has been raised, providing a critical social safety net to thousands of hungry children and adults. Your past support of Hunger Hike has allowed us to wage an aggressive fight against hunger in both our own community, the region and in Haiti.

We hope you will join us again this year by walking a little farther – and digging a little deeper. Please, won’t you make a generous gift to Hunger Hike today?
Make your check payable to “Hunger Hike” and place it in the enclosed envelope – or give online at hungerhike.org/donate.

Gratefully,


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Hunger Hike

Dine at Texas Roadhouse for Hunger Hike


Tuesday, October 1 — 20% Donated to Hunger Hike

texas-roadhouse-logo-300x152

Support Hunger Hike while you enjoy your meal at Texas Roadhouse. Present the coupon to your server when you order and Texas Roadhouse will donate 20%  of your purchase to Hunger Hike.

Here’s how it works…

  1. Print the Hunger Hike “Coupon”
  2. On Tuesday, October 1 from 4 to 10 p.m., go to Texas Roadhouse, 3615 SR 38 E, Lafayette
  3. Give “Coupon” to your server
  4. Hunger Hike gets 20% of your food sales — so, eat up!

Please share this with others. THANK YOU. 


The Texas Roadhouse Story


It all began on February 17, 1993, when Kent Taylor opened the first Texas Roadhouse in Clarksville, Indiana.  Kent’s goal was to own not just a family restaurant and not just a steak restaurant, but a place where everyone, of all ages, could come and have a great meal and great fun for a great price.

We like to brag about our Hand-Cut Steaks, Fall-Off-The-Bone Ribs, Made-From-Scratch Sides, and Fresh-Baked Bread. Everything we do goes into making our hearty meals stand out. We handcraft almost everything we serve. We provide larger portions so you get more food for your dollar. And if you want an Ice Cold Beer or Legendary Margarita to wash it all down — well, we have those, too.

Our food’s not the only thing that’s Legendary at the Roadhouse — our fun is too! From our line dancers to our jukebox to our friendly servers, you’ll enjoy every second you spend in a Texas Roadhouse.

At Texas Roadhouse our team has an incredible sense of pride in everything we do. Our passion ensures you have a Legendary Experience every time.  Because of our passion for our guests and our communities, our team members are involved outside the restaurants in their local communities as a way to give back.

The Texas Roadhouse story is simple. Legendary Food, Legendary Service®
all with lots of Legendary Fun!


Make a Donation Button
Hunger Hike


Hunger Hike is Only 3 Months Away – Why Wait?

Hunger Hike is only a short three months away. Why not get started NOW? Here’s what you need to know to begin raising money and “fighting hunger.”

Hunger Hike is an annual community fundraising event whose mission is to Raise Awareness & Make a Difference in the Fight Against Hunger — locally, regionally & globally. Hunger Hike (Official Kick-off & 3K Walk) event details are as follows:

  • Sunday, September 22
  • 2 p.m. – hike starts
  • Riehle Plaza, Lafayette

Hunger Hike is the perfect event for a team or group — church group, student organization, civic group or your family. Put together a Hunger Hike team and start raising money using our online fundraising site — or any way you choose. We hope you’ll consider joining our Fight against Hunger. Here’s how to get started:

Donate | Online Fundraising Site | More Information: go to www.hungerhike.org

If you run and/or own a business — you also may become a Hunger Hike Event Sponsor.

If interested, email hungerhike@lumserve.org for more information.


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Hunger Hike

Has HUNGER HIKE Reached the Goal? Not Yet!


4 Ways You Can Still Help – Reach $115,000 Goal


Each year at this time about 85% of the Hunger Hike goal has been reached. So it’s important that you still raise funds and give generously.

Here are 4 ways you can still help Hunger Hike reach its goal:

  1. Make a Donation NOW, HERE
  2. Support a Hiker or TeamHERE — then click the TEAM tab
  3. Purchase Hunger Hike T-shirts – $10 | 2 for $15 | 6 for $30 – To get yours, please email hungerhike@lumserve.org. While supplies last.
  4. If you have a First Giving page or team — send it out again to all of your contacts asking for more donations, HERE

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Hunger Hike


Hunger Hike 2018 – Beautiful Weekend for a Hike


Fighting Hunger with Our Hearts & Soles!


Hunger Hike participants gathered this past Sunday to to raise awareness and funds for food programs locally, regionally & globally — through the good work of Lafayette Urban Ministry, Food Finders Food Bank, Inc. and the Haiti Ministry at St. Thomas Aquinas.

The weather was perfect — and the “hike” along the Wabash River was pleasant and picturesque. The Kick-off event was highlighted by an inspiring keynote from Race Johnson, Purdue Football alumnus as well as remarks from our two Honorary Co-chairsDave Kucik, Purdue Crew & Rowing coach, and Nadine Morgan (for Sharon Versyp), Purdue Women’s Basketball coach. Remarks were also offered by Lafayette Mayor Tony Roswarski, West Lafayette City Council President Peter Bunder, Tippecanoe County Council President Tom Murtaugh and by Joe Micon, Lafayette Urban Ministry; Fr. Patrick Baikauskas OP, St. Thomas Aquinas Center; and Katy Bunder, Food Finders Food Bank, Inc. — our sponsoring organizations.

It began with the crowd cheering with the Purdue Cheerleaders & Purdue Pete and participating in Zumba with Miss Brooke & Kasie from Studio b Dance & Fitness. The US National Anthem was then sung by Jay Alan, Harrison High School senior and YouTube sensation. Throughout the entire event, there was live music by DJ Powder of Rat Pak Mobile DJsface-painting & balloon animals from the Unlimited Smiles Clown Ministry, massages by Lee Anne Akers of Essential Touch Massage, and Voter Registration.

After a blessing from Fr. Patrick Baikauskas OP, the “hikers” were led by Purdue Pete, Purdue Cheerleaders, Purdue Crew Team and Purdue Women’s Basketball Team up the John T. Myers Pedestrian Bridge and along the Wabash Heritage Trail. Hunger Hike concluded with a Celebration Picnic with hot dogs, chips & bottled water (courtesy of Texas Roadhouse, Sam’s Club & Aqua Systems).

Hunger Hike for the 26th straight year was successful in bringing much needed attention & funds to the battle against malnutrition, food insecurity & hunger — locally, regionally & globally.

Thanks to all who participated, raised funds, volunteered and donated.


Hunger Hike 2018 – QUICK LINKS:

  • Photos – Hunger Hike 5K Run
  • Photos – HH5K Run – Runners
  • Photos – Hunger Hike Kick-off event & 3K Walk
  • Results – HH5K Run by Category
  • Results – HH5K Run Overall

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Hunger Hike

Has HUNGER HIKE Reached the Goal? Not Yet!


4 Ways You Can Still Help – Reach $115,000 Goal

Each year at this time about 85% of the Hunger Hike goal has been reached. So it’s important that you still raise funds and give generously.

Here are 4 ways you can still help Hunger Hike reach its goal:

  1. Make a Donation NOW, HERE
  2. Support a Hiker or TeamHERE — then click the TEAM tab
  3. Attend the Dine for $$ Fundraising Night at Texas Roadhouse (Lafayette) on Tuesday, September 25, view coupon sheet HERE.
  4. If you have a First Giving page or team — send it out again to all of your contacts asking for more donations, HERE

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Hunger Hike