VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – The annual CROP WALK for HUNGER will be held on Wednesday, May 7th, starting at 7 pm on the west side of Jefferson Elementary School on Central Avenue in Valley City. Hunger has increased across the world these past couple of years, and the need is greater than ever to come, walk and donate.

Walkers are invited to walk the “Jefferson Mile” (the mile surrounding Jefferson Elementary School) once, twice or even more. “We walk because they walk” is the slogan that is used. “People in third world countries will have to walk from 2 up to 6 miles to get their water”, states Sharon Buhr, CROP WALK chair. “But in America people may not have to walk for their water but there is still too much hunger,” continues Buhr.

One in eleven people around the world go hungry every day and this is even greater in Africa with one in five hungry daily. In North Dakota one in seven children face hunger sometime during the week. In Barnes County 6.6% of adults/children are food insecure. Pat Hansen, director of the Barnes County Senior Center and Food Pantry noted that “the Pantry has given out more food than ever before with more citizens being served…both more children and adults.” The BC Food Pantry is entirely funded with private funding (individuals, churches and other entities). They do not receive any federal, state or local government funds. Along the way walkers will find booths where members of Connect Church, Our Saviors Lutheran, Faith Lutheran, Trinity Lutheran, the Congregational Church and Epworth Methodist and the Barnes County Food Pantry will be sharing information on hunger across the world and here in our area, as well as information about water, health and education. Donations may be made at any of the churches listed above, or come out May 7th to walk and donate. Everyone is welcome states Buhr.

The goal is to raise $7,500 of which 15% will go to our Barnes County Food Pantry, and 5% to the Hi-Liner Food Pantry and 5% to the VCSU Food Pantry.

Each year, CROP HUNGER WALKS support over 1000 food pantries, food banks, soup kitchens and shelters across the United States. Funds also go to Church World Service/CROP a faith based organization that believes we are stronger when we stand together, especially in the midst of challenging times. CWS/CROP works in over 65 countries around the world, helping relieve hunger, providing safe water and bringing development projects to areas where people need help in Asia and Africa.

“There is more than enough food produced in the world to feed everyone on the planet,” states Buhr, “yet as many as 783 million people worldwide are facing chronic hunger and 309 million people are facing extreme hunger, with 42 million on the brink of starvation.” She added, “We walk to raise funds to help people all across the world,” states the CROP WALK committee and they invite everyone to come out and walk and donate to hunger on Wednesday, May 7th at 7 pm starting at Jefferson Elementary School. For more information, contact Buhr at 840-0973 or any of the churches listed above.