John and Sue's Camino Mission: 500 Miles for 500 Families

A message from B&M Impact Foundation co-founders Sue Mahony and John Bamforth.

For nearly a thousand years, pilgrims have walked the Camino Francés—the 500-mile route across the Pyrenees, through the plains of Castilla, and into the green hills of Galicia—seeking meaning, connection, and purpose. Along the way, they relied on the kindness of strangers, monasteries, and villages that offered food and shelter in times of hardship. The Camino has always been more than a path; it is a living tradition of resilience and generosity, where communities come together to sustain one another.

Today, we walk this same road with a new purpose. In the mountains of North Carolina, Hurricane Helene left families cut off, food banks destroyed, and communities struggling to recover. Just as pilgrims of old faced hunger and depended on the compassion of others, so too do our neighbors in the Blue Ridge now face the uncertainty of where their next meal will come from.

We will walk 500 miles across Spain, step by step retracing a journey of endurance and hope, to raise funds that will help feed 500 families in the North Carolina mountains. Each mile will stand for a family nourished, each day’s journey a reminder that the Camino’s spirit of solidarity stretches far beyond Europe’s medieval roads. By walking this ancient pilgrimage, we honor its history while carrying forward its deepest lesson: when we walk together, we can sustain one another through life’s storms.

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In September 2025, John and Sue are setting out on the six-week, 500-mile Camino route across Spain with a mission rooted in Western NC. In partnership with Impact Health and Bounty & Soul, they aim to raise $75,000 to provide 500 families with fresh, locally grown food in the wake of Hurricane Helene’s devastation. B&M Impact Foundation will match every donation dollar-for-dollar up to $37,500. Learn more or support John and Sue on their El Camino journey by making a donation today!