Staff photo/Bob Coupland Silas Crain, 5, of Hubbard, left, and Amerie Chambers, 6, of Girard, were among the youngest participants Sunday in Mahoning County’s annual CROP walk in Wick Park. More than 50 people from different churches and other residents took part in the walk, which raised 25% funds for local food pantries such as the ACTION Mobile Market and 75% to help those in need in the world.

YOUNGSTOWN — Those interested in raising funds and awareness for hunger-related needs locally and globally took to the sidewalks around Wick Park Sunday afternoon for the Rural Christian Overseas Project’s Hunger Walk Mahoning County (CROP).

Members of four area churches and other participants gathered for the annual two-hour fall event that began at the Unitarian Universalist Church near the park.

JP Robles of Sacred Commons Church in Youngstown said church members have participated in the march since 2019.

“We’re trying to raise awareness for people living in poverty in Youngstown. There are vulnerable and needy people locally who need our help. » Robles said.

He said the 20 children and adults at the church had a choice of different lengths of walks at Wick Park.

The Rev. Jeremy Hollingshead, pastor of Martin Luther Lutheran Church in Youngstown, said the event was attended by more than 50 attendees, including members of the Girard First United Methodist Church, the First Presbyterian Church of Youngstown, the Martin Luther Lutheran Church and Sacred Commons Church, both in Youngstown.

“Hunger exists outside of our own communities. We raise money not only for Youngstown, but other places as well. We give Youngstown residents a chance to help people in other parts of the world. People can leave here knowing that they care not only for their neighbors, but also for those most in need in other parts of the world who suffer from hunger, poverty and war. By participating in CROP Hunger Walk, you can help your neighbors around the world,” Hollingshead said.

Vicki Vicars, interim director of the Mahoning Valley Association of Churches, said that through a partnership with Church World Services, which fights world hunger, funds were raised during CROP walks in September and October .

Vicars said that at the local level, 25% of the funds raised will go to Protestant Family Services and ACTION’s mobile market, and 75% will go to the national level.

“By participating in the CROP Walk, people are committing to trying to end world hunger” » said the Vicars.

She said there are many local religious congregations collecting donations for the march effort.

Cathy Pokrivnak, executive director of Protestant Family Services, said she is always pleased with the support for the nonprofit. She said that in addition to walkers, donations are made online.

A CROP march in Trumbull County took place in late September in the Cortland area.

Joseph Witmer, secretary of the Mahoning Valley Association of Churches, said the local march takes place on the second Sunday in October.

When CROP began in 1947 (under the wing of Church World Service, founded in 1946), CROP stood for Christian Rural Overseas Program. Its primary mission was to help Midwestern farm families share their grain with their hungry neighbors in post-World War II Europe and Asia.

CROP Hunger Walks help support the global ministry of the Church’s World Service, particularly local development efforts around the world. Additionally, each local CROP Hunger Walk can choose to donate up to 25% of funds raised to anti-hunger programs in their own community.