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

YOUNGSTOWN — Those wanting to raise funds and awareness of hunger needs locally and worldwide took to the sidewalks around Wick Park on Sunday afternoon for the Mahoning County Christian Rural Overseas Project (CROP) Hunger Walk.

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

J.P. Robles of the Sacred Commons Church of Youngstown said the church members have been taking part in the walk since 2019.

“We are trying to bring awareness to those experiencing poverty in Youngstown. There are people locally who are vulnerable and in need who need our help,” Robles said.

He said the 20 children and adults from 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 had more than 50 participants, including members from Girard First United Methodist Church, First Presbyterian Church of Youngstown, Martin Luther Lutheran Church and Sacred Commons Church, both in Youngstown.

“Hunger exists outside of our own communities. We not only raise funds for Youngstown, but other places. We give people in Youngstown a chance to help people in other parts of the world. People can leave here knowing that not only did they care for their neighbors, but for people in the most need in other parts of the world who are experiencing hunger, poverty and war. By participating in CROP Hunger Walk what you are able to do is help your neighbors across the globe,” Hollingshead said.

Vicki Vicars, interim director for the Mahoning Valley Association of Churches, said through a partnership with Church World Services, which fights hunger globally, funds were raised from CROP Walks in September and October.

Vicars said that locally, 25% of the funds raised will be for Protestant Family Services and ACTION’s Mobile Market, with 75% going nationally.

“By taking part in the CROP Walk, people are making a commitment to try and end world hunger,” Vicars said.

She said there are many local church congregations that collect donations for the walk effort.

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

A CROP Walk in Trumbull County was held in late September in the Cortland area.

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

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

CROP Hunger Walks help to support the overall ministry of Church World Service, especially grassroots development efforts around the world. In addition, each local CROP Hunger Walk can choose to return up to 25% of the funds it raises to hunger-fighting programs in its own community.