It’s that time of year again to put on your walking shoes and help Church World Services irradicate hunger both here in the U.S. and around the world.
What it is
Church World Services (CWS) is an organization dedicated to eradicating hunger and poverty and promoting peace and justice around the world. CWS supports sustainable grassroots development, disaster relief, refugee assistance and educates and advocates on hunger-related issues. The organization promotes interfaith and intercultural collaboration in responding to these issues.
Why it was founded
In 1946, in the aftermath of World War II, CWS was founded with a simple mission: feed the hungry, clothe the naked, heal the sick, comfort the aged, shelter the homeless. Since then, it has worked tirelessly to do so. In 1946 and 1947, 11 million pounds of food, clothing, and medical supplies were collected by the organization and sent to war-torn Europe. They also set out to help resettle the large number of refugees left homeless by the war. With the success of these efforts, the CWS started Friendship Trains to collect American-grown food products such as corn, wheat, rice, and beans to be sent to needy places around the world. Since then, CWS has moved beyond solely providing first-aid relief to war-torn and disaster-ridden countries, and has spread its reach to places constantly in need of aid.
How it is making a difference
Involving over 2000 communities and more than 1600 hunger walks, CWS is maintaining its 60 year tradition. The organization has resettled about 450,000 people since it first began and works with each refugee individually to ensure they gain self-sufficiency. CWS also funds the Blankets+ campaign that provides blankets, tents, food and other essentials to those recently displaced by disaster. CWS encourages the donations of special kits such as school kits, hygiene kits and baby-care kits that are sent around the world to people in need. Another initiative is Water for All, which aims to provide clean water to communities in order to provide a clean water source for healthy nutrition and farming.
CROP Hunger Walk
CROP Hunger Walks take place around the country and are interfaith hunger education and fundraising events. The walk benefits efforts to stomp out hunger, both locally and abroad. For example, CWS expects to raise $4 million for hunger-elimination efforts in the U.S.
Sign up for a walk and learn more about Church World Services.
Upcoming 2013 walks
Alabama
- Birmingham, April 28
Cumberland Presbyterian, April 28
Decatur, April 28
Alaska
- Seward, May 5
Arizona
North Pima, March 3
UCC-SWC Annual Gathering, April 13
West Valley, February 24
Yavapai County, April 28
California
Alameda, April 21
Berkeley, April 21
Camarillo, March 10
Chico/Paradise, April 28
Conejo Valley, March 3
East County (Pittsburg and Antioch), April 21
East San Gabriel Valley, March 10
Fallbrook, May 5
Fremont, April 21
Fullerton, April 28
Glendale/Foothill Communities, March 3
Lax Community Area, May 18
Marin, April 21
Merced, April 21
Modesto, April 20
Oakland, April 20
Orland, April 28
Oxnard, March 10
Peninsula Harbor, May 4
Ramona, May 19
Riverside, March 10
Shasta County, April 27
Simi Valley, May 19
Sonoma, April 21
South Bay, April 21
Tri-Valley in Pleasanton, April 20
Vallejo, April 21
Visalia, April 13
Colorado
Denver Downtown, April 28
Durango, April 20
Eagle County, May 5
Grand Junction, April 27
Salida, April 20
San Luis Valley, April 28
District of Columbia
Washington DC, May 4
Connecticut
Bridgeport, May 5
East Granby, May 5
Good Friday-Lymes, March 29
Greenwich/Port Chester, April 21
Hamden, April 28
Litchfield, May 5
Mansfield/Storrs, May 5
Niantic, May 19
Norwich, May 5
Plymouth/Terryville, April 21
Portland, April 28
Valley Shore Interfaith, May 5
Westport/Weston, April 28
Delaware
Dove, April 20
Millcreek, April 21
South East Sussex, May 11
Florida
Central Brevard, March 10
Englewood, February 23
Fort Myers, April 14
Fort Pierce/Port St. Lucie, February 24
Gainseville, April 28
Kissimmee, March 17
Lakeland, February 24
Leesburg, February 24
Manatee County, February 24
Miami Beach, February 24
Miami Lakes, February 24
North Suncoast/Crystal River/Homosassa, February 24
Ocala/Silver Springs, March 17
Orange County, March 30
Panama City, February 23
Penney Farms, March 2
Pinellas County/St. Petersburg, March 3
Sanford, April 28
Sarasota, March 3
South Brevard, April 14
St. Cloud, March 3
Three Worlds Campground, March 10
Venice, February 24
West Pasco, February 23
West Volusia, March 10
Georgia
Athens, April 28
Idaho
Bonners Ferry, June 8
Illinois
Bushnell Community, April 20
Champaign/Urbana, April 21
Glen Ellyn/Wheaton Area, May 5
Hunger Walkathon West (Oak Park Area), May 5
Ingleside Area, May 5
North Boone County, April 28
Peoria, April 28
South Suburban, April 28
Indiana
Goshen, May 5
Iowa
Johnson County, April 7
Manson, May 5
Norwalk, May 5
West Union, May 5
Kansas
Chase County, April 1
Larned, May 1
Louisiana
Northshore, March 9
Maine
New Gloucester, May 5
Maryland
Carroll County, April 21
Frederick Detention Center, March 19
Greater Howard County, May 19
Hyattsville, May 5
Mid-Montgomery, June 9
Mount Airy, June 2
St. Michaels, June 23
Western Howard County, May 5
Massachusetts
Agawam/ West Springfield, April 28
Essex Association, May 8
Southwick/Granville, June 2
Michigan
Au Gres Area, May 5
Berkley, May 5
Blossomland, May 19
Downriver, April 28
East Macomb County, May 5
Eastern VanBuren, April 28
Farmington/Farmington Hills/West Bloomfield, May 5
Grosse Pointe Area, May 5
Holland/Zeeland Area, April 27
Kalamazoo valley, April 28
Lake Orion/Oxford Area, May 5
Lakewood Area, April 28
Lowell Area, May 5
Petoskey/Bay View, June 29
Redford Area, May 5
Royal Oak, May 5
Shiawassee County, May 5
South County (Schoolcraft), May 5
Southfield/Lathrup, May 5
Sturgis, April 28
Troy Area, May 5
Wayne/Westland, May 5
Minnesota
Elk River, May 5
International Falls, May 5
Montevideo Area, June 15
Princeton, May 5
Missouri
Benton County, April 1
Moniteau County, June 10
Montana
Billings, May 5
Conrad, May 5
Great Falls, April 13
New Hampshire
Greater Hampstead, May 19
Newfound Area Churches, May 5
Souhegan Valley, May 5
New Jersey
Cape May, May 5
Colts Neck, May 19
East Bergen/Englewood, May 5
Greater Woodbury, May 5
Hawthorne, April 1
Medford, April 14
Moorestown, May 5
Phillipsburg, May 26
Roselle, May 5
Rutherford, May 5
Salem County, April 21
South Brunswick, April 1
New Mexico
Roswell, April 28
New York
Adams, May 19
Albany, May 5
Argyle, May 5
Brockport, May 5
Castleton, May 5
Coxsackie, May 5
Dolgeville, May 19
Fairport-Perinton, May 5
Geneseo, April 7
Greece, May 5
Greenwich, May 5
Hilton, May 5
Hudson, April 1
Kingston, May 5
Mayfield, May 5
New York City, May 19
Newark, May 4
Rochester/Irondequoit, May 5
Schenactady, May 5
Sodus, May 5
Spencerport, May 5
Walworth, May 5
Webster, May 5
Wellsville, June 2
North Carolina
Caswell County, April 21
Chapel Hill/Carrboro, April 21
Cumberland County, April 14
Durham, March 17
Person County, April 21
Sandhills, April 14
Scotland County, April 21
North Dakota
- Fargo/Moorhead, May 5
Valley City/Barnes Co. April 14
Ohio
Ada, April 7
Adams/Brown County, May 5
Anderson Township, May 5
Elyria/Lorain, April 27
Ironton, June 1
Marietta, April 14
Oberlin, April 28
Shelby, April 28
Smithville, May 5
Wellington, May 5
Oklahoma
Claremore, April 1
Oklahoma City, May 5
Stillwater, April 1
Oregon
McMinnville, May 5
Milton Freewater, May 19
Portland, April 28
Pennsylvania
Cornwall Manor, April 20
Greensburg, May 19
Havertown, April 28
Kane, May 19
Masontown-German, May 19
Middletown, May 5
Pine Glen, May 5
Tri Valley, April 28
White Oak, May 19
Rhode Island
- Aquidneck Island, May 25
East Bay/Barrington, April 28
South Carolina
Upstate, February 24
Tennessee
- Nashville, April 14
Texas
Austin, March 3
Bertram, April 28
Boerne, May 5
Canyon Lake, March 9
Dallas, April 14
Elgin, April 20
Hays County, March 3
Kerrville, February 24
Leander-Cedar Park, April 21
Royse City, April 28
San Antonio, March 3
Spring, April 7
The Woodlands, April 7
Tomball, April 7
West Fort Bend Co, April 13
Utah
- Salt Lake County, April 28
Virginia
Harrisonburg, April 21
Lynchburg, April 14
Mount Vernon, May 5
Orange/Madison County, March 9
Washington
Bellevue, May 4
Des Moines, May 5
Kirkland, May 18
Renton, May 5
Snoqualmie Valley, May 19
Spokane, April 28
Sunnyside, March 16
Thurston County, May 5
Wisconsin
Brodhead, April 28
Janesville, April 28
Milton, April 28
Orfordville, April 28
Portage, April 28
Vilas County (Eagle River), May 12
Waukesha, May 5
Wisconsin Rapids, May 5
Wyoming
Casper, April 28
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