Mindful Mile “Fight Hunger” 5K raises $10,000 for local food bank

On April 14, Sodexo at UAlbany and United University Professions (UUP) teamed up to sponsor the 4th annual Mindful Mile and Fight Hunger 5k raising over $10,000 for St. Vincent's Pantry and the Northeast Regional Food Bank.

Sodexo is the dining services partner at UAlbany and the United University Professions is the largest higher education union in the nation, representing over 35,000 academics and professionals in 800 job titles across the SUNY system and in SUNY administration.

"Giving back to the communities we serve is a great privilege," said Kevin D'Onofrio, Sodexo Resident District Manager at UAlbany.

According to the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), hunger and obesity can coexist in the same individual, family, or community.

As cited in a FRAC report, food insecure and low-income people can be especially vulnerable to obesity because of the unique challenges they often face in adopting and maintaining healthful behaviors, including, limited resources; lack of access to healthy, affordable foods; cycles of food deprivation and overeating; high levels of stress, anxiety, and depression; fewer opportunities for physical activity; greater exposure to marketing of obesity promoting products; and limited access to health care.

"Food insecurity has been an emerging issue and is something we want to tackle. Sodexo and UUP are committed to stopping hunger and this is just one way we are tackling this problem in our community," said D'Onofrio.

For more information, contact Lauren Mancuso, director of Marketing and Communications, On-site Service Solutions, Campus Services, UAlbany at 518-442-3269 or lauren.mancuso@sodexomagic.com.