The 40th Annual York County CROP walk will take place this week
Citizens of York County are coming together on Nov. 5 to combat hunger in the community at the annual CROP Walk.
The CROP walk is an event originally created by the Church World Service, in which communities get together to raise funds and awareness in an effort to fight poverty and hunger in their communities.
Rev. Ricky Howell of Winthrop Wesley and coordinator of the CROP Walk has been organizing the walk for the past six years, however, the event was brought to York County 40 years ago by the then-coordinator of the Wesley Foundation.
“This event is important to our community because every dollar raised impacts the lives of those in need around us,” Howell said. Twenty five percent of the funds that we collect will be donated to local hunger-fighting agencies, such as Project HOPE, the Fort Mill Care Center and a startup ‘portable farmer’s market’ called The Bulb. Additionally, participation in this event allows our community to reach beyond ourselves to help out impoverished people around the world. The remaining 75 percent of the funds we raise will be used by Church World Service to support its global relief efforts.”
Howell said that individuals can raise money for the cause, or they can just show up to raise awareness.
“CROP Walk presents a simple yet impactful opportunity for students to get involved in making a difference within their community and across the globe,” Howell said. “If they can walk, they can impact lives. Even if college students aren’t able to raise a lot of money, their participation draws attention to the those struggling with hunger and poverty. Additionally, this event challenges students to appreciate what they have and helps them become more aware of the needs around them.”
There is also a non-perishable food drive at the walk, where participants can donate items that will then be distributed to local food pantries.
Although the event is just four days away, it is not too late to register. People can register as a team or as an individual walker as late as immediately prior to the walk.
The walk will take place on Nov. 5, with registration starting at 2:00 p.m. and the walk at 3:00. To sign up, visit crophungerwalk.org/rockhillsc/.
