For immediate release:
CONTACT: Roberta Argott
(562) 698-6246, ext. 724
Santa Fe Springs, CA, December 12, 2011– On Sunday December 5th 2011, St. Paul High School participated in its 39th annual March for Hunger. Approximately 1000 students, faculty, parents and alumni walked 26 miles starting at Salazar Park in East Los Angeles to Santa Monica Beach. The walking tour of Los Angeles was designed by the event’s founder, St. Paul’s Dan Jiru, as a lesson in social responsibility by exposing students to the stark contrasts between the area’s poorest neighborhoods and those of the most affluent. Students and volunteers truly witnessed the economic diversity of society today.
March for Hunger is St. Paul’s largest annual event, drawing together over 90% of the student body and faculty, as well as dozens of adult volunteers. St. Paul challenged its students to raise money through donations from family and friends in support of the 26 mile walk from East Los Angeles to Santa Monica. The money raised supports the Catholic Worker Hospitality Kitchen, an organization that serves the homeless living on Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles. The money raised by St. Paul students is the largest annual donation the kitchen receives.
Participants started early in the morning at St. Paul High School in the City of Santa Fe Springs for a 6am Mass and rally, which marked the start of the March for Hunger Event. Bus loads of participants arrived at Salazar Park at 8am starting their 26 mile journey down to Santa Monica Beach, and later returned to St. Paul High at 8pm for a well deserved BBQ on campus. St. Paul once again, completed a fun and safe activity, also learning very important life lessons of compassion and giving. St. Paul will continue this tradition and keep the St. Paul High School motto “Christ lives in me” alive in our students.
