Over the weekend, the Rock and Roll marathon took place in the Valley, and on Saturday morning, a 5K race took place in Tempe as part of the festivities.
As participants ran and walked the course, dozens wore backpacks filled with food.
“We’ve effectively named it 'March Out Hunger,” said Darin Davis, a veterans executive for Humana, the marquee sponsor of the weekend's marathon events.
He said the inspiration came from soldiers who carry heavy rucksacks across long distances and is designed to serve as a symbol that represents hunger in the military community.
“ One in five military families faces hunger,” Davis said, adding that many military families struggle with food insecurity.
When the participants finished the course, they unloaded their bags into bins to benefit St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance. Krystin Bridges is a food drive coordinator for the charity.
“These events are really, really great because they bring in a lot of quality food,” Bridges said.
The food bank has been busy in the past few weeks serving families affected by the government shutdown.
