MOSS POINT—The fight against hunger is marching across Mississippi, and everyone is invited to get into step to make a difference in local communities.
The annual March of the Mayors began in 2021 and has seen an explosion in participation with cities all across the state participating. What started along the Gulf Coast with seven mayors from seven cities ended that year with 12 cities being represented and eager to participate.
“That first year, I had a mayor call me, and I was so nervous,” said Martha Allen Price, Executive Director of Extra Table. “But he called to ask if he could participate, and I said sure! We would definitely never want to exclude anyone.”
March of the Mayors started on the Coast and has expanded from there to includes those cities with partner food pantries already served by Extra Table. This year, there are marches in five different regions in the state: Delta, North Mississippi, Jackson Metro, Pinebelt and the Coast. Within those regions, each city is collecting specific non-perishable food items that will be shared and distributed within the region.
“March of the Mayors is an annual event that is a lot of fun,” Ms. Price said. “It is a fun way to recruit supporters and volunteers and to get people involved.”
The 2026 march started in early February and concludes prior to the week of March 2-6 when Extra Table will host Mississippi’s Largest Food Box Packing Parties in five regions over five days.
“We will have a load of volunteers to help meld together the collections of participating cities for distribution back into those communities,” Ms. Price said. “Food collected and packed by regions will support the food pantries of each participating city. Simply stated, if your mayor participates then your pantry gets a cut of the food boxes packed.”
And those guidelines are exactly why Moss Point Mayor Billy Knight has been participating since the program’s inception in 2021. Moss Point is collecting canned fruit at area schools, churches and city buildings. Mayor Knight said this march is a worthwhile cause.
“The program affects Moss Point and the surrounding area by way of having extra food for those in need,” said Mayor Knight. “It allows some families to not have to make the choice of buying food or paying their light bill.”
This food drive is a prime example of people helping people and providing an outlet to support others.
“My involvement matters because I know that the food that is donated in Moss Point will stay in Moss Point,” he added. “This march is also in tune with my slogan, ‘We are all in this together’.”
Extra Table is a statewide, nonprofit food bank founded by well-known restaurateur Robert St. John in 2009 with a mission of ending hunger in Mississippi—efficiently, respectfully, and by offering hope. It delivers new, healthy, shelf-stable food to its 66 food pantry and soup kitchen partners across Mississippi every month at no cost to them.
The organization has the belief that no one should go to bed hungry, and says it is making real progress every day thanks to our generous donors, hardworking volunteers, and strong partnerships.
There are partner food pantries and soup kitchens located in almost every county in the state. Ms. Price said that their goal is always growth and that includes adding five new, fully-funded pantries each year.
“We have no red tape, just full plates,” Ms. Price said. “We do not receive any government funds so we have no government regulations to follow.”
Each month, Extra Table purchases $95,000 worth of shelf-stable items and an 18-wheel truck delivers pallets to each pantry around the state. This is done through annual fundraisers, sponsorships and partnerships.
“Every community has extreme amounts of need, and I am from the Delta and grew up seeing hunger first hand,” said Ms. Price who has been working with Extra Plate for 10 years.
Heading into its 16th year, Extra Table will soon be kicking off a sweet campaign.
“It is sweet that we get to continue feeding people, the stories are sweet and the work is sweet,” she said nothing that the organization distributed 1.3 million pounds of food in 2024.
For more information about March of the Mayors, Extra Table or how to get involved, visit the Extra Table here.
