{{Short description|Radio personality in Western Massachusetts}} '''Christopher "Monte" Belmonte''' (born 1978) is a radio personality in Western Massachusetts known for his fundraising event Monte's March, in its sixteenth year in 2025.<ref name="mass">{{cite web |last1=Munford |first1=Aprell May |title=12th annual Monte's March seeks to raise $500,000 to fight hunger |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/12th-annual-monte-s-march-seeks-to-raise-500000-to-fight-hunger/ar-AAQULod |website=MassLive |publisher=MSN News |access-date=23 November 2021}}</ref><ref name="Poli 2018">{{cite web | last=Poli | first=Domenic | title=Monte's March: Walking 2 days, 43 miles to benefit food bank | website=Daily Hampshire Gazette | date=2018-05-29 | url=https://www.gazettenet.com/Monte-s-March-Walking-2-days-43-miles-to-benefit-food-bank-43626737 | access-date=2021-11-23}}</ref><ref name="birthday">{{cite web | last=Center | first=Shea Theater Arts | title=Monte Belmonte's 40th Birthday Bacchanalia , Sat, Feb 24, 2018 | website=Shea Theater Arts Center | date=2021-11-03 | url=https://sheatheater.org/d/394/Monte-Belmontes-40th-Birthday-Bacchanalia | access-date=2021-11-23}}</ref>

Belmonte is a program director and morning show host at The River, WRSI, in the 6-10 am slot.<ref name="93.9">{{cite web | title=Monte Belmonte | website=93.9 & 101.5 The River | url=http://wrsi.com/monte/ | access-date=2021-11-23}}</ref><ref name="BusinessWest 2017">{{cite web | title=Christopher Belmonte | website=BusinessWest | date=2017-04-17 | url=https://businesswest.com/blog/christopher-belmontechristopher-belmonte/ | access-date=2021-11-23}}</ref> He broadcasts while he is on his fundraising march from a portable transmitter in a shopping cart he pushes.<ref name="Serreze 2016">{{cite web | last=Serreze | first=Mary C. | title=Monte's March against hunger raises $200,000 for Food Bank of Western Mass. | website=masslive | date=2016-11-24 | url=https://www.masslive.com/news/2016/11/montes_march_against_hunger_ra.html | access-date=2021-11-23}}</ref> The walk takes place over two days, walking 43 miles from Springfield to Greenfield, Massachusetts, with Belmonte often in costume.<ref name="mass" /><ref name="BusinessWest">{{cite web |last=O'Brien|first=George|title=Monte Belmonte | website=BusinessWest | date=2020-09-15 | url=https://businesswest.com/blog/monte-belmonte/ | access-date=2021-11-23}}</ref><ref name="Berry 2021">{{cite web | last=Berry | first=Patrick | title=43 mile Monte's March for hunger steps off Tuesday | website=WWLP | date=2021-11-18 | url=https://www.wwlp.com/massappeal/43-mile-montes-march-for-hunger-steps-off-tuesday/ | access-date=2021-11-23}}</ref><ref name="Serreze 2016"/> He is often joined by Congressman Jim McGovern who has marched with him nine out of the last twelve years.<ref name="BusinessWest" /> His 2020 march raised $614,577 for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts.<ref name="mass" /> During the COVID pandemic many schools did "solidarity marches," doing local marches while raising money for local food banks.<ref name="Collaborative for Educational Services 2012">{{cite web | title=Monty's March | website=Collaborative for Educational Services | date=2012-11-15 | url=https://www.collaborative.org/newsroom/montys-march | access-date=2021-11-23}}</ref>

Belmonte also writes about wine for the Valley Advocate.<ref name="Valley Advocate 2018">{{cite web | title=Monte Belmonte, Author at Valley Advocate | website=Valley Advocate | date=2018-05-29 | url=https://valleyadvocate.com/author/monte-belmonte/ | access-date=2021-11-23}}</ref> He has been a regular funtime summertime guest bailiff on Judge John Hodgman.<ref name="Maximum Fun 2013">{{cite web | title=Episode 122: Reckless Endungeonment | website=Maximum Fun | date=2013-08-14 | url=https://maximumfun.org/episodes/judge-john-hodgman/judge-john-hodgman-episode-122-reckless-endungeonment/ | access-date=2021-11-23}}</ref> He supports other charity projects, raising money for cancer with the Cancer Connection Campout, and being a judge for Stir Up Some Love which raises money for the Treehouse Foundation.<ref name="pledgereg.com">{{cite web | title=Monte's Bed In for Cancer Connection Fundraising Page. | website=pledgereg.com | url=https://www.pledgereg.com/montes-bed-in-for-cancer-connection | access-date=2021-11-23}}</ref><ref name="Stir Up Some Love 2021">{{cite web | title=Support Western Mass Restaurants and The Treehouse Foundation | website=Stir Up Some Love | date=2021-06-19 | url=https://www.stirupsomelove.com/ | access-date=2021-11-23}}</ref> He was named one of Business West's ''40 Under 40'' in 2017 when he was 39.<ref name="BusinessWest 2017" /> He is the board president of the Shea Theater in Turners Falls, Massachusetts.<ref name="Center 2021">{{cite web | last=Center | first=Shea Theater Arts | title=Shea Theater Arts Center | website=Shea Theater Arts Center | date=2021-11-03 | url=https://sheatheater.org/p/8/Shea-Theater-Arts-Center| access-date=2021-11-23}}</ref>

Belmonte is of Italian American heritage.<ref name="Valley Advocate 2019">{{cite web | title=Monte Belmonte Wines: Trying to Love Italian Wine | website=Valley Advocate | date=2019-11-21 | url=https://valleyadvocate.com/2019/11/21/trying-to-love-italian-wine/ | access-date=2021-11-23}}</ref> He was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts and raised in Norton, Massachusetts.<ref name="All Access 2011">{{cite web | title=10 Questions with ... Chris | website=All Access | date=2011-01-17 | url=https://www.allaccess.com/triple-a/10-questions/archive/8838/10-questions-with-chris-monte-belmonte | access-date=2021-11-23}}</ref> He is married and has three children.

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.montesmarch.com Monte's March Official Site]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Belmonte, Christopher}} Category:Living people Category:American radio DJs Category:Food security Category:1978 births