By Tom Ganser
Correspondent
On Oct. 4, Whitewater’s 30th CROP Hunger Walk was staged as a “drop-off/drive-thru” in response to the pandemic. Donations and non-perishable food items were delivered to the Starin Park parking lot, where Whitewater CROP Hunger Walk Committee members, wearing masks, were present to collect the donations.
CROP Hunger Walks are community-based walk events held in cities and towns across the United States raising funds to support the global mission of Church World Service, a faith-based organization transforming communities around the globe through just and sustainable responses to hunger, poverty, displacement and disaster. Twenty-five percent of the funds raised are returned to the host community to support local hunger-fighting efforts.
Patty Harmon and Mariann Scott serve as co-chairs of Whitewater’s CROP Hunger Walk. Harmon reported that $340 was collected at the drive-thru.
Scott said the “food collection was an assortment of 93 items with a healthy variety of canned vegetables, soups, fruits and beans, plus ramen noodle packages and staples like peanut butter, pasta and canned chicken. The variety shows the donors shopped thoughtfully for healthy food that people would enjoy.
“Our goal for Whitewater’s 30 CROP Hunger Walks was $200,000. Last year’s donations brought our total to $193,749.44, of which $38,492.25 was used to feed Whitewater people,” she added.
Whitewater’s 25% portion of the donations will be given to Whitewater’s four food pantries: Whitewater’s Community Food Pantry in the Armory on North Street, The Community Space on East Milwaukee Street, Warhawk Pantry in Drumline Hall on the UW-Whitewater campus and the pantry in the lobby of the Irvin L. Young Memorial Library on Center Street.
