Can you remember the last time you
went to bed hungry? I can't. Usually, my problem is just the opposite.
Unfortunately, way too many children do not know what it is like to go to bed
with a full tummy. This bugs me. An opportunity to help came my way about six
years ago. Actually, to be perfectly honest, what happened was that a church
leader asked me to be the Trinity United Methodist Church liaison for the
Tallahassee CROP Hunger Walk sponsored by Church World Services. I could not think
of a good reason to say no. I am glad I didn’t.
The first four years I simply walked,
solicited monetary and food donations from sponsors, and served as the
recruiter for Trinity, which meant I encouraged members of the congregation to
join me. In 2012 and this year, I kicked it up a notch. I act as the citywide
coordinator for the Tallahassee CROP Hunger Walk initiative, which means I
expanded my focus to recruit local churches and organizations to involve their
membership.
Even more important, I still participate
in the 3-mile walk and collect donations from family and friends. The three
miles are symbolic and represent the distance some children in undeveloped
countries have to walk just to get water.
Like many people, I find it hard to
ask friends and family for donations. Nevertheless, I get out of my comfort
zone and do it anyway because there are still kids out there without ample food
and water. It takes a village, one person at a time, to make a difference, right?
This year the walk in Tallahassee is on October 20th.
It is different dates and times in communities across the country. If the fact that children go to bed hungry every night of the year bothers you and are looking for a way to help you might be able to participate in your area. Go to www.cropwalk.org and find the nearest walk. If there is not one, you can donate to other walks/walkers online. In our area, seventy-five percent of the contributions we collect locally go to state, national, and international emergencies, such as Hurricane Sandy, as well as long-term food and clean water development in 80 developing nations around the world. The other twenty-five percent of the money and all of the food goes to local non-profit organizations who help those in need. Each area may be different. You'll just have to check it out.Happy Walking!
