I-Walk for Hunger exceeds fundraising goal
About 200 hardy souls walked a 5K route in temperatures approaching 90 degrees Sunday, June 26, for I-Walk for Hunger, a Northwest Suburban Interfaith Council project to raise money for four local food pantries and raise awareness of hunger in the suburbs.
The walk raised about $6,500, exceeding the council's fundraising goal to meet pantry needs for the remainder of the summer.
I-Walk for Hunger kicked off for the third year from St. Mary Parish's parking lot in Buffalo Grove, proceeding to Hope Lutheran Church in Long Grove for an air-conditioned rest stop, and then returning to St. Mary Parish. Father Dan Whiteside of St. Mary Parish gave an opening benediction.
Along the way, "we walked and volunteered together in faith and fellowship for our communities at a time when so many among us are hungry," said Richard Rosen, chairman of the council's I-Walk for Hunger committee.
The walk is convened early each summer to help stock food pantries at the time of greatest need, when food donations are at their lowest and schoolchildren in disadvantaged homes do not have access to free or reduced cost lunches during summer school vacation, said Joanne Dicker, council president.
"I-Walk is truly a team effort," Dicker said. "We are grateful to the many people who walked with us on June 26, the wonderful volunteers who helped organize, register, set up, host and man stations, and to those who supported us with donations," she said.
Dicker added that contributions still are being accepted and are welcome throughout the year.
Dicker noted many suburban residents may not be aware of the four food pantries serving the communities represented on the council, and said the annual walk is one way of alerting people to the need that exists year round.
The pantries are operated by St. Mary Parish, Kingswood United Methodist Church and Congregation Beth Am, all in Buffalo Grove, and St. Alphonsus Liguori Church, Prospect Heights.
Other council members are Congregation Beth Judea, Congregation B'nai Shalom, Congregation Shir Hadash, Hope Lutheran Church, Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, St. Viator High School and Temple Chai.
The council is the beneficiary each year of the U.S. Postal Service Stamp Out Hunger campaign, the Buffalo Grove Recreation Association food drive and the Buffalo Grove Park District food drive during National Night Out to collect donations of food and cash for the pantries.
Another key element of the council's mission is to affirm the common principles of different faiths by serving as an ethical and moral voice on issues which affect the positive growth and unity of the suburban communities.
It encourages cooperative service efforts to meet social needs and to foster understanding among people of different faiths.
In addition to the council's work to fulfill nutritional needs in local communities, it sponsors an annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Celebration Service and has conducted missions to help rebuild Illinois communities devastated by tornadoes and built homes in Illinois and Michigan.
It also hosts interfaith seminars and discussion groups in conjunction with local clergy and libraries, speaks out against discrimination and donates to other service organizations helping the needy.
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