The St. Patrick Hunger Project is a local organization that works in partnership with the Food Bank of Central New York to provide food for people in need. The project is funded by the St. Patrick’s Day Parade sponsors and direct donations.

According to its website, The St. Patrick Hunger Project supplied more than 110,000 meals for Central New York residents in 2018.

Janet Higgins, president of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, said that the parade supports the Hunger Project by hosting a fundraiser the December before the annual parade day. She added that the Hunger Project is an integral part of the parade’s purpose.

“It’s not just the parade itself; we do the Syracuse St. Patrick’s Hunger Project, which is a year-round event,” Higgins said.

The St. Patrick Hunger Project was started by Richie Walsh and John Young because they wanted to give back to the community that they benefited from, said James “Curly” Cahill, vice president of the parade.

The Hunger project’s efforts hold ties to Irish history. The organization aims to educate central New Yorkers about An Gorta Mór, or the Great Hunger, in Ireland, according to its website. During the Great Famine, also known as the Irish Potato Famine, about 1 million people starved to death.

“In our own community, we have the resources to make a difference and help ensure that no individual goes hungry in Syracuse,” the website says.

SU alumna Emily Mahana ‘18, who will also serve as the Rose of Syracuse in this year’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade, said she has memories from her childhood that involved raising funds for the Hunger Project.

She said that when she was an Irish dancer in the parade, several dance schools in Syracuse would hold a canned goods competition. The dance school that collected the most canned goods would be given a favored placement in the lineup of the parade.

John Tumino, owner of the nonprofit organization In My Father’s Kitchen, is being honored for his organization’s similar mission to the Hunger Project in this year’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Tumino said the purpose of IMFK is to serve “restaurant-quality food” to the homeless population.

For his contributions with his nonprofit organization, he will be the Gael of the Year, an honorary title given to those who have done impactful community service within Syracuse.

Tumino said because of the generous people who contribute to the parade and the Hunger Project, it has been successful in serving food to the population of Syracuse. He said that he is excited to be marching in this year’s parade as a representative for the work of the two organizations.

Higgins said that the Hunger Project was crucial to everyone on the parade board committee and everyone involved. One of the reasons Higgins and the board committee decided to promote the Hunger Project through parade was because it shifts the emphasis of the parade from drinking toward a much more impactful cause.

Higgins said that the Hunger Project has retained its importance over the years. She explained that many organizations within central New York work to alleviate the problem of starving children and homelessness, but the issue continues.

“I guess, intellectually, I may understand, but emotionally I’ll never understand how this can happen and in a country so blessed and rich as we are … that children go hungry, it’s heart-wrenching to me,” Higgins said.

Tumino said that the parade serves a much greater purpose within the city of Syracuse.

“The parade is the tool that will allow light to shine on a hunger situation,” Tumino said. “Think of it as bigger than just a parade; it’s actually an event that makes a big difference in our community.”

Published on March 11, 2020 at 10:52 pm

Contact Jade: jchung19@syr.edu