BETHEL — Local CROP (Communities Respond to Overcome Poverty) Walks help to relieve hunger here and around the world. Participants raise money with pledges and donations and walk around the Bethel Common.

Rev. Tim LcConey will lead an ecumenical service on The Common at 10 a.m. The World Service committee will have stations around The Common focusing on hunger and poverty around the world.

The church will staff a table at Harvest Fest on September 17 to gather money for the CROP Activities the following day. While people gather to celebrate local foods, many think about those not able to have a good meal on their table.

A total of 25% of the funds stay locally, going to the Bethel Food Pantry and the school backpack program. The remaining 75% supports the work of Church World Service. Church World Service partners with aid agencies around the world to provide disaster relief as well as long-term micro-loans and development projects in over 80 countries. For example, Somalia and people in the horn of Africa are living under the worst drought in 30 years. Living at such a marginal level means an incredible vulnerability to changes in climate, crop prices, and health problems. Church World Service aims to get at the root of the problems of poverty and hunger.

This year the Bethel area and some 2,000 cities and towns nationwide are joining together in interfaith community CROP Hunger Walks around the theme “Ending Hunger One Step at a Time.” Many of the CROP Walkers will be wearing CROP Walk t-shirts, proclaiming their solidarity with the millions of neighbors around the world who have to walk to live – as well as with the millions served by local food pantries, food banks, and meal sites here in the U.S.

For more information about the Bethel Area CROP Hunger Walk, contact Jan Whitworth at janrwhitworth@gmail.com.