Special to the Sun
On May 4, Kelly Russell, of Boston, was honored as one of Project Bread’s inaugural Council of Experts with Lived Experience at the 57th annual Walk for Hunger with the 2025 Patrick Hughes Award for Social Justice. At the event, Project Bread recognized the meaningful work of the Council in addressing the root causes of hunger and bravely sharing their personal experiences to advocate for sustainable solutions for stateside food security.
The nonprofit’s most prestigious award was created to honor the legacy of Patrick Hughes, whose deep-seated passion for social justice and entrepreneurial spirit led him to found Project Bread’s Walk for Hunger in 1969. His activism and advocacy were anchored in optimism and stemmed from his belief in the inherent worth and dignity of every human being.
“I am honored to receive the Patrick Hughes Award for Social Justice along with my fellow Council members,” says Russell. “Sharing your lived experience with strangers can be a very daunting task. I’ll admit, in the beginning it was hard. This award is proof that vulnerability is a strength, not a weakness. It is also evidence that including voices with lived experience is a powerful tool in the fight for equity. I am incredibly proud of the work done by myself and my entire cohort and it is so empowering to be recognized for our contributions. I look forward to continuing to represent Project Bread and supporting the new council during my time as a Council Ambassador.”
Launched in 2023, the Council of Experts integrates the lived experiences of individuals and families facing food insecurity into Project Bread’s decision-making, programming, and policy initiatives. The eight Council of Experts members, including Russell, of the 2023-2024 cohort contributed to projects like improving evaluation tools with the research team, refining communications for The Walk for Hunger, increasing awareness of nutrition programs like Summer Eats, and lending their expertise to the development and launch of the statewide Make Hunger History coalition. Their involvement enhanced outreach, resource sharing, policy strategy, and program development, ensuring that the needs of the community are met in a sustainable way.
“The inaugural Council of Experts embodies the same entrepreneurial spirit of Patrick Hughes,” says Erin McAleer, CEO of Project Bread. “They are community leaders who share Project Bread’s passion for food justice. Kelly is an inspiration to us all, deeply committed to ensuring that everyone in Massachusetts can access and afford food with dignity.”
Immediately after The Walk, Council of Experts members flew down to Washington, D.C. where they joined an expert panel and met with members of Massachusetts’ federal delegation alongside Project Bread’s policy and engagement teams during the National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference. This moment underscored Massachusetts’ national leadership in food justice, with Project Bread modeling what it means to work in authentic partnership with people whose lived experience is their expertise. In a time when civic voices—particularly in policymaking and government affairs—are being silenced or sidelined, this is more than symbolic. It’s transformative. These Council members aren’t just part of the conversation—they’ve brought the realities of hunger to national platforms, including Capitol Hill, where they advocated for change as part of the Food Research & Action Center’s annual conference. Their presence and power are a critical reminder that effective, equitable solutions must be informed by those who know the issue most intimately.
Fundraising for the Walk for Hunger will continue through the summer, already surpassing this year’s goal of $1 million. Visit www.projectbread.org/walk to donate or start a personal fundraiser to support this ongoing mission.
People experiencing food insecurity should call Project Bread’s FoodSource Hotline (1-800-645-8333), which provides confidential, free assistance getting connected to a variety of food resources in 180 languages and for the hearing impaired. Counselors can pre-screen families and help them to apply for SNAP. Learn more at projectbread.org/get-help.
Project Bread is the leading statewide food security organization in Massachusetts. Beginning in 1969 with the first Walk for Hunger, the nonprofit focuses on driving systemic change to ensure people of all ages have reliable access to healthy food. Project Bread works collaboratively across sectors to create innovative solutions to end hunger and improve lives across the Commonwealth. For more information, visit: www.projectbread.org.