CROP Hunger Walk to benefit those on west side of Cedar Rapids

CEDAR RAPIDS - A Cedar Rapids church is looking to lend a hand to the food-deficient and food assistance organizations on the west side of the city through a CROP Hunger Walk on Sunday.

The event gets underway at 2 p.m. on the Cherokee Trail near Walgreens on the corner of Johnson Avenue and Edgewood Road NW. Those who attend are asked to check-in or register at Concordia Lutheran Church, 4210 Johnson Ave. NW.

CROP - or Christian Rural Overseas Program - began in the 1940s as a way for Midwest farmers to share surplus grains with hungry families in Asia and Europe following World War II. Today, about 1,300 CROP Hunger Walks take place across the nation with 25 percent of funds raised going toward local organizations and 75 percent for international efforts.

Before the 2008 flood, the Cedar Rapids CROP Walk took place near the downtown area. Though there still is an October CROP Walk - which now takes place in Marion - that benefits Cedar Rapids food pantries, Pastor Stasia Fine, of New Disciples of Cedar Rapids, 202 12th St. NW, said she and congregation members wanted to bring attention to and raise funds for organizations on the west side, specifically.

New Disciples was formed when two Cedar Rapids' churches - First Christian and Cedar Christian - merged after the flood. During the transition, Fine said New Disciples was based out of a storefront on the west side.

'It was a very accessible facility, and we would have people coming to us asking for food,” Fine said. 'I was looking at how difficult it was to get to food and get back. When you're struggling financially ... and have a job, you don't have time to get on a bus and switch a couple times to places during the hours that they're open.”

In setting up Sunday's CROP Hunger Walk, Fine enlisted the help of New Disciples members Nancy Wise - who helped plan First Christian's involvement in the CROP walk for 25 years, and Dean Hunter.

Wise said she knows first hand what it is like to struggle for food. After her husband died and she experienced health complications, Wise sought help from the Hawkeye Area Community Action Program - or HACAP - to supplement her diet.

'Even though I may be down on my luck, I know there are a lot (of people) worse off than I am,” Wise said. 'I can witness that (organizations) are there and we just have to swallow pride and ask.”

Those wishing to take part in Sunday's walk can register in advance at crophungerwalk.org/cedarrapidsia. All those who register are asked to consider making a donation.

About 25 percent of funds are to be donated to the Westdale Community Church Food Pantry, Olivet Neighborhood Mission and Feed Iowa First, all to benefit those on the west side of the city. The remaining funds are to be distributed through Church World Services international missions. 'We have hunger here, but our hunger doesn't compare to the hunger that is global,” Fine said. 'The idea is we need to keep our perspective local, as well as global.”

l Comments: (319) 368-8516; makayla.tendall@thegazette.com

If you go

' What: CROP Hunger Walk

' When: 2 p.m. Sunday

' Where: Check in and register at Concordia Lutheran Church, 4210 Johnson Ave. NW. Walk is on the nearby Cherokee Trail.

' Route: The route is 1.5 miles. Participants are encouraged to go around one or more times.

' Details: Register and make a donation at crophungerwalk.org/cedarrapidsia or in person at check-in. Make checks payable to CWS/CROP Walk.