MIDDLEBURY — October 6 will mark the forty-second year that Addison County volunteers have walked to raise money to fight hunger and poverty through the annual CROP Hunger Walk. Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty (CROP) holds annual hunger walks, sponsored and supported by local communities in partnership with Church World Service, an international relief, development, and refugee resettlement agency. Twenty-five percent of funds raised goes to our own local food shelves.
Vermont was the beneficiary of Church World Service supplies and expertise following flooding associated with Hurricane Irene, including food, clean-up kits, hygiene kits and blankets. Further afield, Church World Service has been instrumental in responding to earthquakes in Japan, droughts in East Africa and numerous other world-wide locations reeling from disasters. Ongoing programs include continuing efforts to help in the recovery from the effects of hurricane Katrina, sustainable farming development in many countries and the “Enough for All” campaign, which assists communities in need of safe drinking water.
The Addison County CROP Hunger Walk raised $26,400 in 2018. In addition to helping to fund world-wide efforts to fight hunger, 25 percent of the money we raise in Addison County will result in donations to seven local hunger-fighting organizations:
•  The John Graham Shelter in Vergennes
•  H.O.P.E. (Helping Overcome Poverty’s Effects)
•  Middlebury Summer Lunch Program
•  Have-A-Heart Food Shelf in Bristol
•  Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity
•  Vergennes Community Food Shelf
•  Middlebury Transitional Care Coalition (Middlebury Community Suppers)
Walkers will gather on the Middlebury town green between noon and 12:45 p.m., at which time they will step off to a trumpet fanfare and cheering crowds. People of all ages and abilities are encouraged to walk. The route is on sidewalks through town (Court Street to Buttolph Acres to Main Street to Middlebury College campus and back down Main Street to the town green). Walkers can join in for any part of the route, or complete the entire walk. 
Anyone interested in walking and/or raising money for this year’s CROP Hunger Walk, can obtain a registration packet and begin to collect pledges. To learn of a recruiter who can give you a packet contact, Patty Hallam at 388-1561. Sign-up and pledging also can be done online at crophungerwalk.org/middleburyvt.