October 2012

MEDIA RELEASE

Aucklanders Put Their Best Foot Forward in Second Annual
Hike for Hunger

Ready, steady, go is the mentality many philanthropic Kiwis will adopt on 4 November, as they hike for the second year in a row to raise money for the world’s hungry.

hike4hunger is a worldwide event designed to eradicate hunger in impoverished nations in Africa. Their charity partner in New Zealand is The Hunger Project, which has been working effectively in Africa for 20 years. The group is currently calling for volunteers to don their sneakers to support a world without chronic hunger and poverty, in recognition of the UN World Food Day (16 October).

This year’s hike is a stellar 16 kilometre coast-to-coast walk/run from Auckland’s Viaduct to Onehunga. On 4 November, the hike will begin at 119 Customs Street West in Auckland’s Viaduct at 10am for walkers and 12pm for runners. To extend the invitation to mothers, children, and less mobile volunteers, a family-friendly walk will start at 12.30pm on Puriri Drive in Cornwall Park, by the large Ficus/Moreton Bay Fig tree. It is planned that all participants will finish between 2pm and 3pm at Onehunga’s Bay Reserve, located at 71-91 Beachcroft Ave.

Held in Auckland in 2011, New Zealand’s inaugural hike4hunger event saw 50 hikers, walkers and runners raise over $3,000 to assist at least 500 people in Mozambique – one of the world’s poorest nations. Worldwide, the 14 countries participating in hike4hunger raised $101,000. The funds went to food farmers (mainly women) for seed, fertilizer and improved farming techniques, to help encourage early prevention rather than emergency aid.

hike4hunger founder Simon Lewis says the organisation was thrilled to have New Zealand join the cause, along with the 15 other countries. “This year we will continue raising awareness among communities of passionate individuals. We want these communities to help spread the message about the widespread global hunger issue.”

The Hunger Project’s New Zealand Country Director Charlotte Reynolds says it is wonderful to see the hike4hunger project celebrating its second year in New Zealand. “Our goal is to raise $10,000 towards hike4hunger and see 200 or more people participating.

“It is such a deserving cause and so easy to do something about. Access to food in New Zealand is something many people take for granted but in reality it is an issue affecting millions of people in many nations on a daily basis,” she says.

According to a report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) in 2008, the world produces enough food to feed every existing person – in fact, enough to feed 12 billion people. Hunger is the world’s number one health risk, killing more people annually than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis put together.

Registration for hike4hunger is $20 per person, or a koha for children under 15 who come with an adult, however hikers are encouraged to seek out sponsorship from friends and family to be able to contribute more to this good cause. Those who raise over $30 will be in to win prizes from Icebreaker and Paintball NZ – this year’s sponsors. There is also a weekend batch getaway in Opahi Bay, Mahurangi up for grabs. Participating hikers will receive extra entries into the prize draw if they raise funds over either $51 or $100 dollars.

Registrations for the event and prize draw must be submitted by 28 October 2012. To register go to: http://www.givealittle.co.nz/cause/h4h2012

New Zealand Guardian Trust is a proud partner of the hike4hunger initiative and has rallied its Auckland based staff to participate and encourage staff contributions in both years’ events. Guardian Trust also assists in the set up and management of the event and design and print of event posters.

Visit www.hike4hunger.org or www.thp.org.nz to learn more about the charities and check out http://www.facebook.com/events/267770590001943/ for regular updates about the event. You can also view a short video of hike4hunger here: http://youtu.be/X_6rKft1YGI

ENDS

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