37th Annual Barrington Area CROP Hunger Walk

Many people remember the 1960s as a decade of music festivals, protests and a youthful energy driving society towards something better. Part of that "better" meant ending hunger, which is why, in 1969, a group of teens in Bismarck, North Dakota dreamed up what would later be known as the CROP Hunger Walk. The first Walk was a huge success, setting the precedent for charity walks around the nation.

Fifty years later, that legacy continues. And residents of the Barrington Area will come together for the 37th annual Barrington Area CROP Hunger Walk. This year the Walk takes place throughout the Village of Barrington, beginning at St. Anne Catholic Community, 120 Ela St., Barrington, on Sunday, October 13. Registration begins at 12:30 p.m. and the Walk will begin at 1:00.

And the need is still great. After years of progress, hunger is on the rise. Roughly one in nine people goes to bed each night on an empty stomach. We're up against new weather patterns, shifting seasons, armed conflicts and more - all of which makes our collective food systems more vulnerable. It's not just an international crisis, either; here in the United States, 12 percent of households face food insecurity, and the number is higher for households with children.

The Barrington CROP Hunger Walk is an ecumenical event and involves individuals from over a dozen churches, Barrington High School, and the community. Over $1.5 million has been raised and over 12,800 walkers have participated in its thirty-six year history. Twenty-five percent of funds raised in Barrington stays in our area benefiting the Northern Illinois Food Bank, the FISH Food Pantry--Carpentersville, BACOA Meals With Wheels, Wauconda-Island Lake Food Pantry, United Partnership for a Better Community Summer Lunch Program in Wauconda, Project HOPE, and the People in Need program of the Barrington Area Ministerial Association.

So please mark your calendars and plan on joining us, whether as a walker or sponsor. Together -- with your family, group, or congregation -- we can change the world, one step at a time. At this year's Walk, we will recognize everyone who is participating, whether for their first or 37th time. If you have walked in the past, please join us again as we mark this special anniversary of CROP Hunger Walks!

To learn more, check out the website, www.crophungerwalk.org/barringtonil, or contact Barbara Trumbull, barringtoncropwalk@yahoo.com, 2019 Walk Chairperson from Presbyterian Church of Barrington, the host of the 2019 Walk. Visit and like the Barrington Area CROP Hunger Walk on Facebook, too!