Mystic, Conn. (December 30, 2020) – On Friday, January 1st, 2021, at 12:01 a.m. Bookwell Travel founder Brian Gates will run for 12 hours, starting in Mystic, continuing through Sterling and finishing at the Old Pachaug Town Hall at 879 Voluntown Road in Griswold, to replenish the food bank’s supply of meals and raise awareness of the worsening hunger crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Gates plans to arrive at St. Mary’s Food Pantry at midday on the 1st, where he will be joined by Senator Heather Somers, R-Groton, in the donation of 10,000 meals.
“We want to start 2021 off right, 2020 was one of the most difficult years we have ever seen, we want to start 2021 by bringing good to our community and the world,” said Gates. “I can think of no better way to start the year than by personally running to raise awareness of our hunger crisis and making an impact at one of our local food pantries.”
Like many food pantries throughout the country, St. Mary’s Food Pantry has been a critical lifeline for families and those in need during the COVID-19 pandemic, as the demand for food assistance has dramatically increased since the initial wave of the pandemic in early 2020.
“What an incredibly positive way to begin 2021 here in southeastern Connecticut,” said Sen. Heather Somers, who represents eight towns in the region. “This selfless act will help provide food for thousands of needy area residents while uniting us in the fight to combat hunger. On behalf of the residents of the 18th State Senate District, I thank Brian Gates for setting such an inspiring example as we start the new year off on the right foot.”
Gates will be arriving at the Old Pachaug Town Hall by noon on New Years Day, where he will donate a truckload of 10,000 nonperishable food items to support the St. Mary’s Food Pantry’s mission. Gate’s goal is to raise awareness of the 12 hours of hunger families can face in a day when food pantries run out of meals.
Bookwell Travel is a first-class booking and trip planning platform that provides travelers the opportunity to not only experience one of a kind travel destinations but also make a difference in the lives of others. For every room booked, Bookwell Travel will donate directly to one of over 370 food banks located throughout North America and provide 10 meals to the hungry per booking, with the mission to deliver 16 million meals by the end of 2021. Bookwell Travel donates directly to food banks to ensure 100% of each donation goes directly toward creating meals for those in need.
