Mars Area High School senior Katie Mueller stepped into the role of the event’s first student ambassador, rallying classmates and community members for the Walk for Hunger on Saturday morning. Together, they raised $9,387—enough to provide more than 28,000 meals to families across Butler County.
Held at Adams Township Community Park, the one-mile walk drew about 100 participants, most of them Mars students. Their efforts were part of Armstrong’s Breaking Bread program, which has raised more than $60,000 for local food banks since its start in 2018.
A Student at the Helm
For Mueller, co-chairing the event was both a leadership challenge and a personal lesson.
“Our goal was to raise $5,000 so that over the eight years we’d hopefully reach $55,000,” she said. “To see that we surpassed that is really motivating. I’ve learned how much a community can come together and all the good we can do if we put our minds to it.”
She added that the experience deepened her understanding of hunger in Butler County.
“You live in this wonderful community, but then realize some of your neighbors might not have enough food,” Mueller said. “I definitely learned not to take anything for granted, and I just want to be able to help others.”
The Broader Picture
Nearly 1 in 13 Butler County residents—about 15,000 people—struggle with food insecurity, according to local food banks. Nationally, more than 13% of U.S. households faced food insecurity in 2023, affecting more than 13 million children.
That need is reflected in the Lighthouse Foundation’s work, one of the event’s benefiting organizations. Executive Director Victoria Spreng said her pantry now serves more people than ever before, with inflation and rising utility costs driving new families to seek help.
“We’re seeing more new people now than we’ve ever seen before—people who never thought they’d need a food pantry,” Spreng said.
The funds raised from the walk will be distributed among several partners, including the Lighthouse Foundation, Inspired Hearts and Hands, Butler County Community College Pioneer Pantry, Southwest Butler Food Cupboard, Gleaners Food Bank in Cranberry, and Divine Grace Church in Ellwood City.
Small Steps, Big Impact
Seth Prentice, Armstrong’s Community Marketing Manager and event co-chair, said the walk is about more than fundraising. “Food insecurity doesn’t have a rubber stamp,” he said. “Someone could be going hungry each day and night, and you just don’t know it. This walk helps students and neighbors see that they can give back and make a difference.”
Looking Ahead
For Mueller, the event was a chance to put her passion into action as she looks ahead to a career in nursing. She hopes other students will follow her lead.
“If you’re trying to make a difference in the community, just take the step forward,” she said. “People will always tell you you’re doing too much. But just do what makes you feel happy and fulfilled—and as a community, we all have to come together when times are hard.”
