15th Annual Huffing For Stuffing race on Thanksgiving morning to support HRDC’s Gallatin Valley Food Bank
Area residents are already registering for Bozeman’s annual Huffing For Stuffing Thanksgiving Day run/walk. To help celebrate the event’s 15-year anniversary, a 15K race has been added to the roster of events.
Huffing For Stuffing has become a community tradition with proceeds benefitting HRDC’s Gallatin Valley Food Bank. Committed to ensuring no one goes to bed hungry, this race provides a platform for HRDC to discuss the prevalence of food insecurity. Heather Grenier, HRDC’s President and CEO, summarizes the struggle some of our neighbors are facing this way, “Nobody wants to be hungry. But everybody wants to pay their rent or mortgage. And here, in this valley, doing so often means that you are doing so at the expense of other necessities. Whether that is food or medication or snow tires, something is being spared. Even with the swift local recovery happening among numerous sectors, some sectors are lagging far behind leaving many in our community with lingering financial challenges.”
In addition, food distribution through HRDC’s food and nutrition programs continues to rise with our region’s rapid population growth and the accompanying affordable housing crisis. In 2020, nearly two million pounds of food were distributed to area families, nonprofits, and other HRDC programs, and 39,302 individuals received groceries. “None of these services would be possible without the depth of commitment we receive from the community. Our Huffing For Stuffing race is a major fundraising tool for us,” said Jill Holder, HRDC’s Food and Nutrition Department Director. “In fact, Huffing For Stuffing has provided over half a million dollars for the Gallatin Valley Food Bank since its inception in 2007.”
The race is held every Thanksgiving morning at the iconic Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, Montana. This year, among many other Covid-related precautions, there will be two different ways to participate: registration is available for 5K, 10K, and 15K run/walk courses, or alternatively, participants can register for a virtual walk/run. Either way, there is an event for almost everyone with a Fun Run and a Kid’s Run on the docket, too. Details are available at www.huffingforstuffing.com.
Community members who are unable to take part in the event, but who still wish to contribute to this important cause, can do so by donating directly to Gallatin Valley Food Bank at HERE.
For more information about HRDC’s Gallatin Valley Food Bank, or any other HRDC program or service, visit thehrdc.org. •
