CROP Committee Announces 30th Anniversary Celebration

The Columbus CROP Hunger Walk Committee is pleased to announce a special celebration in honor of the 30th Annual Columbus CROP Hunger Walk. The CROP Hunger Walk will be held on Sunday, October 12 in downtown Columbus.

The Walk will begin and end in the Riverfront Amphitheater in Genoa Park (next to COSI). A short "Grand Send-Off" Ceremony will begin at 1:30 and will feature special music and special guests. The Walk will begin promptly at 1:45 pm.

The CROP Walk Committee wanted to make the walk more "kid and family friendly", so special activities have been planned for the kids, including: face painting, games and pre-walk treats.

Amy Wingerter, CROP Walk Committee member and CROP Recruiter from Worthington United Methodist said, "The committee wanted to attract more families with younger kids, so special consideration was taken for choosing walking routes that were not only scenic and interesting, but also safe. The walk this year crosses only one street and a crossing guard will be stationed at that corner."

Wayne Hubb, CROP Walk Committee member and CROP Recruiter from Bethel Temple Church said he likes the idea of walking on a paved trail next to the river. "The scenery is great. You have outstanding views of the city, the rivers and we will walk through some of the best parks in Columbus."

Long time CROP Walk Committee member Claire Badger said that she is looking forward to a different walking route this year. "The walkers will get to see different sights of Columbus this year, including the Santa Maria and possibly visiting COSI. I think it will be a great celebration!"

Plan now to join the Celebration of the 30th Annual CROP Hunger Walk on October 12th. You will be walking to help put an end to poverty and hunger in your neighborhood and around the world.

What Makes CROP Unique? I'm Glad You Asked!

1. CROP is Diverse . . . over 35 communions/denominations work together in the U.S. to form partnerships with more than 400 groups and/or ecumenical church bodies in some 80 countries, including the U.S. CROP Hunger Walkers come from more than six faith traditions. That is diversity!

2. CROP Cooperates . . . Recognizing we are all in this together, CROP lets us walk together to work together.

3. CROP Advocates Local Solutions to Local Problems . . . The partners around the world develop, propose, and implement their own projects through consultation with Church World Service. CWS knows that projects and programs must come from the people themselves, not be imposed by others.

4. CROP Has Experience . . . 60 years of experience grace this effort. Originally formed in response to the needs of a Europe devastated by World War II, Church World Service has grown into an organization with global impact.

5. CROP Promotes Motivation . . . CROP materials focus on the need for action as opposed to the results of inaction. CROP brings you people meeting the tough challenges of everyday life, solving their problems and gaining respect.

6. CROP Gives Locally . . . 25 percent of the money raised by a CROP Hunger Walk returns directly to the community to work in local hunger efforts. Last year, some $6 million was shared with local hunger-fighting initiatives -- pantries, food banks, and community gardens across the U.S.! In Columbus, our CROP Hunger Walk supports over 10 agencies that provide direct food assistance. The largest agency that we support is the Mid-Ohio Food Bank. For more information on the food bank, follow this link: http://www.midohiofoodbank.org/

7. CROP Keeps Overhead Low and Accountability High . . . On average, just over 17.2 percent of contributed funds for the past three years has gone to management, fund raising and information sharing.

8. CROP Hunger Walks: “We walk because they walk” – in solidarity, in unity, to make a difference. Last year, CROP Walkers, volunteers, and sponsors in some 2,000 U.S. communities raised nearly $17 million to feed the hungry, protect children, assist uprooted people, and help families and communities around the world to help themselves.

CROP – Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty

A Red Wagon, Life Lessons and the CROP Hunger Walk

The first year Garth went on the CROP Hunger Walk, his mother pulled him in his red wagon. After all, he was only three years old. The next year, he walked some and rode in his wagon part of the way. If asked, he would tell you that he was walking so people wouldn't be hungry. When he was five, Garth and his mother wrote to family members and special friends, asking them to pledge for their walk. Garth signed the letter too. Now at ten, Garth knows more about hunger in the world, and he is concerned about children around the world who go to bed hungry. He never fails to pray for hungry people in his bedtime prayers. Garth is determined to walk the whole way this year, and he hopes that "by the time I a parent, there won't have to be Hunger Walks." (used by permission)

Your family is invited to join the Columbus CROP Hunger Walk on October, 12, 2008 in Genoa Park, next to COSI in downtown Columbus.

For more information call the CROP Office at 614-481-4416.

Business Community Supports Columbus CROP Hunger Walk

The Mid-Ohio Food Bank distributes enough food to provide 40,000 meals every day. The Mid-Ohio Food Bank distributed 30.3 million pounds of food and other grocery products in 2006.

The 29th Annual Columbus CROP Walk was held on October 14, 2008, and was a huge success. Hundreds of people from over 70 churches, schools and civic groups walked in downtown Columbus and historic German Village to help end hunger here in central Ohio and around the world.

The Columbus CROP Committee would like to thank the following businesses and individuals for their support of the CROP Hunger Walk. The Columbus CROP Hunger Walk would not have been a success without their support.

Amateur Radio Emergency Services
Blooms Direct
Charley’s Grilled Subs
Cheryl & Company
Columbus Museum of Art
COSI
Donatos
Fruit Grower’s Marketing Assoc. – Ohio Apples
Giant Eagle
Frank & Marty Huffman
Joseph Mercurio Produce Corp.
Kellogg’s Snacks - Keebler Kraft Foods Global, Inc.
Live Technologies
Macaluso Fruit Co.
Max and Erma’s
McDonald’s
Meijer
Mid-Ohio FoodBank
Parking Co. of America
Paul Peterson Company
Pepperidge Farm
Rent-a-John
The Refectory
White Castle

A special thanks goes out to the Mid-Ohio Food Bank for their continual support of the Columbus CROP Hunger Walk.

Since 1980, the Mid-Ohio Food Bank has provided more than 368 million pounds of food and other grocery products for hungry people in our community. Mid-Ohio Food Bank keeps the food shelves stocked for a network of more than 550 emergency food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, senior dining centers, day care and other after-school enrichment programs.

The Mid-Ohio Food Bank distributes more than 2 million pounds of groceries every month, enough to provide 40,000 meals every day.

For more information check out their website at www.midohiofoodbank.org.