Thousands expected to attend the Walk to End Hunger Thanksgiving tradition at Mall of America®
Contact:
Sarah Schmidt
952.883.8805
Thousands expected to attend the Walk to End Hunger Thanksgiving tradition at Mall of America®
New This Year: Weight Loss Phenomenon Dawn Bryant
and Personal Trainer Jason Burgoon to Lead Break a Sweat Route
WHAT:
Every day, an estimated 8,500 Minnesota moms, dads, grandparents and children are visiting a food shelf to get the food they need. In an effort to aid in this issue, the 6th annual Walk to End Hunger will return to Mall of America® on Nov. 28, Thanksgiving Day. This year, the event has been expanded beyond its 5K family-fun walk to raise money for 12 area hunger-related charities.
Dawn Bryant, who received national media attention earlier this year for losing 130 pounds, will join her trainer Jason Burgoon as he leads crowds on a Break a Sweat route on the second floor of the Mall. The Break a Sweat routines are designed to burn more calories in anticipation of special Thanksgiving food staples, like pumpkin pie and stuffing.
Presented by The Mosaic Company, the event will also include ArtStart ArtScraps make-and-take art activities, balloon animals, local partner hunger organizations trivia, two free rides on the Swings and Carousel in Nickelodeon Universe and a visit from Santa.
While the economy in Minnesota is rebounding, according to Hunger Solutions Minnesota, suburban food shelf usage in the nine-county Twin Cities metro area has risen more than 90 percent since the Walk to End Hunger began in 2008. Local statistics indicate that nearly one in five families with children are struggling to put food on the table.
The 12 partner organizations that benefit from the Walk to End Hunger are: Catholic Charities, Emergency Foodshelf Network, Hunger Solutions Minnesota, ICA Food Shelf, Keystone Community Services, Loaves and Fishes, Minnesota Foodshare, Neighbors, Inc., The Salvation Army, Second Harvest Heartland, The Aliveness Project and VEAP.
For more information on the Walk to End Hunger click here.
VISUALS: Thousands participating in a walk around the inside of Mall of America
Walkers participating in the Break a Sweat routines
Santa interacting with walkers
WHEN: Thursday, Nov. 28, 2013
7:00 a.m. Registration Opens, Great Room, Nickelodeon Universe
7:30 a.m. Walk Officially Begins
ArtStart ArtScraps Make-and-Take Art Activities (Level 1 - Macys Court)
Balloon Animals (Level 1 Macys Court)
Step and Release Photo Opportunity (Level 1 - Forever 21 Court)
Local Partner Hunger Organizations Trivia (Level 1 - Nordstrom Court)
Santa (Level 1 - Sears Court)
Break a Sweat Activities (Level 2)
8:00 a.m. Nickelodeon Universe opens two free rides (Swings and Carousel)
10:00 a.m. Event concludes
WHERE: Mall of America Mall-wide
About Mall of America®
Mall of America is the nations largest retail and entertainment complex. At 4.2 million square feet, MOA is home to more than 520 world-class shops; Nickelodeon Universe®, the nations largest indoor family amusement park; SEA LIFE Minnesota Aquarium, a 1.2 million gallon walk-through aquarium; Moose Mountain Adventure Golf; Theatres at Mall of America® - a 14-screen movie theater with VIP theatre and more. The Mall opened in August of 1992 and is located in Bloomington, Minn., just minutes from downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul. Follow Mall of America on Facebook and Twitter or visit our blog.
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