Making Action Against Hunger a Community Celebration
August 13, 2014
One way to bring people from many different perspectives and
faith traditions together to raise money and fight hunger is to make
a community celebration out of it. This is the approach taken for 37
years by the Sioux City CROP Hunger Walk; the second longest
running of over 80 CROP Hunger Walks across Iowa.
Last year, the Sioux City CROP Hunger Walk brought together 365
walkers and raised over $36,400 to combat hunger. Of the money
raised, 25% goes to relieve local hunger through programs at the
Community Action Agency of Siouxland and Interfaith Resources.
The remainder is used to alleviate global hunger through the programs of Church World Service.
The Sioux City CROP Hunger Walk is organized by a small taskforce that meets during the months of August
through October. A network of volunteer recruiters drums up support and involvement at 35 churches and
schools in September and October. The walk itself takes place every year on a Sunday afternoon in October;
complete with balloons and family-friendly activities for walkers of all ages. This year’s walk will be on October
19 th .
Organizers attribute the longevity and success of the Sioux City CROP Hunger Walk to:
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Participants are able to raise money to “fight hunger around the block and around the globe”, through
an easy, concrete action that people can take together with their friends.
The community-wide feeling of the CROP Hunger Walk that they cultivate by involving a large number
of organizations every year; including 30 churches of many denominations and several high school
clubs.
Efforts over the past 30 years to make the CROP Hunger Walk a family tradition by encouraging
children to come in strollers or wagons, providing fun activities and balloons to walkers of all ages, and
encouraging church confirmation classes and high school student clubs to invite their families to walk
with them.
Thanking participants and recruiters for their efforts. Recruiters are especially important for keeping
churches, student clubs, and other groups engaged in the CROP Hunger Walk over the years, and the
organizing committee works hard to recognize the dedication of their recruiters.
For more information about the Sioux City CROP Hunger Walk, please contact Ms. Rolene Beauvais at
[email protected] or 712-574-9607. For more information about other CROP Hunger Walks in Iowa,
please contact Mr. Jordan Bles at [email protected] or 515-274-2224.
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