ADDISON COUNTY — Despite the many ways living in a pandemic has changed our daily lives, and canceled countless important events, the annual Addison County CROP Hunger Walk will still be part of the community landscape this October. However, this year’s walk will be re-formatted to assure the health and safety of all participants. 
Despite these changes the commitment to help hungry neighbors is stronger than ever, both here at home and around the world, as increasingly more people experience pandemic-related food insecurity. Under the sponsorship of Church World Services and Addison County CROP Hunger Walk, walkers and supporters will be raising money for local food shelves as well as worldwide distribution sites. 
In 2019, Addison County raised $21,444. Organizers hope to raise even more this year. Twenty-five percent of money raised in Addison County is donated to local organizations providing nutritional support: 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, and Middlebury Community Suppers.
This year rather than gather all on the same day on the Middlebury town green walkers will be encouraged to choose a time during the week leading up to CROP Hunger Walk Day on Oct. 4 to do their own unique CROP Walk. This might be the same route through town taken in past years, or it might be a different route around Middlebury, or a part of the TAM, or a hike in the mountains. Walkers are urged to take selfies as they walk, to send to John McCright at the Addison Independent. The Independent will then publish photos and captions of this year’s Re-imagined CROP Hunger Walk.
In September more information will come out about how to participate in CROP Hunger Walk 2020. Meanwhile, all those interested in recruiting community members to collect money through faith groups, clubs, sports teams, neighborhoods, etc. should contact Ellen McKay to receive information about how to do this at [email protected]. Visit the Middlebury page for CROP Hunger Walk at crophungerwalk.org/middleburyvt.