Feeding America Riverside | San Bernardino (FARSB) hosted the 7th Annual Million Meals Gala – Rising Above Hunger at the Grier Pavilion on top of Riverside City Hall in Downtown Riverside, CA on the evening of Saturday, November 2, 2019.
The 7th Annual Million Mills Gala honored Dr. Anil Garde and Mrs. Gigi Garde of Riverside and featured live music by the Inland Empire’s Brassworks as well as a special guest presentation made by UCR Alumna and Hunger Advocate, Melina Reyes.
In 2016, Melina Reyes, a fourth-year Political Science major at UC Riverside went on a five-day (115 hours) hunger strike to raise awareness for food-insecurity that she, and many of her classmates, faced while attending the university. UC Riverside is rated the highest amongst all UC campuses for food-insecurity, with 62% of students experiencing it on campus.
During the evening, winners of the community voted “Hunger Hero Awards” were given to community advocates who dedicated their efforts to fighting hunger in 2019. Winner of Partner Charity of The Year was Inland Valley Christian Fellowship. Winner of Media Partner of The Year was KVCR. Key Community Champion was Big Bear Rotary. Winner of Key Corporate Champion was Hendrick Automotive Group.
An additional President’s Choice award, whose recipient was be chosen by FARSB CEO, Stephanie Otero, was awarded to Eric Roberts, an Eagle Scout candidate who transformed the food bank’s old pallets into movable walls to enclose the volunteer area for special events.
In the Inland Empire, more than 400,000 people struggle with hunger and may not know where they’ll find their next meal. That number includes 1 in 5 children.
Proceeds from the event, which amounted to the equivalent of nearly one million meals, will help to provide holiday meals to food-insecure children and families in the Inland Empire.
Sponsors of the Million Meals Gala included: Target, Pechanga, Hodgdon Group, Challah for Hunger, Walmart, Molina Healthcare, Wells Fargo, Kaiser Permanente, Mike and Clara Vanderpool, the Majestic Realty Foundation, Riverside Medical Clinic, Healthnet, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, Alaska Airlines, and Inland Empire Magazine.
Donations benefiting the FARSB Million Meals Campaign are still being accepted at www.FeedingIE.org/donate.