Put on your walking shoes and help Church World Services irradicate hunger both here in the U.S. and around the world.
Church World Services
What it is
Church World Services is an organization dedicated to eradicating hunger and poverty and promoting peace and justice around the world. CWS supports sustainable grassroots development, disaster relief, refugee assistance and educates and advocates on hunger-related issues. The organization promotes interfaith and intercultural collaboration in responding to these issues.
Why it was founded
In 1946, in the aftermath of World War II, CWS was founded with a simple mission: feed the hungry, clothe the naked, heal the sick, comfort the aged, shelter the homeless. Since then, it has worked tirelessly to do so. In 1946 and 1947, 11 million pounds of food, clothing, and medical supplies were collected by the organization and sent to war-torn Europe. They also set out to help resettle the large number of refugees left homeless by the war. With the success of these efforts, the CWS started Friendship Trains to collect American-grown food products such as corn, wheat, rice, and beans to be sent to needy places around the world. Since then, CWS has moved beyond solely providing first-aid relief to war-torn and disaster-ridden countries, and has spread its reach to places constantly in need of aid.
How it is making a difference
CWS has worked hard to satisfy its mission statement in its more than 60 years of existence. The organization has resettled about 450,000 people since it first began and works with each refugee individually to ensure they gain self-sufficiency. CWS also funds the Blankets+ campaign that provides blankets, tents, food and other essentials to those recently displaced by disaster. CWS encourages the donations of special kits such as school kits, hygiene kits and baby-care kits that are sent around the world to people in need. Another initiative is Water for All, which aims to provide clean water to communities in order to provide a clean water source for healthy nutrition and farming.
CROP Hunger Walk
CROP Hunger Walks take place around the country and are interfaith hunger education and fundraising events. The walk benefits efforts to stomp out hunger, both locally and abroad. For example, CWS expects to raise $4 million for hunger-elimination efforts in the U.S.
Sign up for a walk and learn more about Church World Services.
Upcoming 2012 walks
Alabama
- Huntsville, September 16
Alaska
- Anchorage, September 23
Arizona
- Douglas/Bisbee, October 13
- East Valley, November 11
- Phoenix, November 4
- Tucson, November 4
California
- Contra Costa, October 7
- El Dorado County, October 14
- Fresno, October 14
- Long Beach, October 21
- Newport Beach/Irvine/Mesa, October 28
- Pasadena, October 28
- Poway/Rancho Bernardo, October 21
- Sacramento, October 7
- San Fernando Valley, November 4
- Santa Clarita Valley, November 12
- Ventura, October 28
Colorado
- Boulder County, October 21
- Colorado Springs, October 7
- Estes Park, September 9
- Foothills, October 14
- Fort Collins, October 7
- Loveland, October 6
- Montrose, September 15
- Northwest Denver, October 14
- Southeast Denver, October 14
- Windsor, October 28
Connecticut
- Bloomfield/Windsor, October 14
- Cromwell, October 14
- East Hampton, October 14
- East Hartford, October 21
- Killingly/Brooklyn, October 7
- Manchester Community, October 21
- Naugatuck Valley, October 14
- New Haven, September 2
- Westbrook, October 21
Delaware
- Lewes/Rehoboth Beach, October 7
- New Castle, October 14
- Newark, October 14
- Newport, September 30
- Western Sussex, September 30
Florida
- Clay County, November 4
- Halifax Area, November 11
- Jacksonville Arlington, November 4
- Jacksonville Beaches, October 21
- Jacksonville Southside, November 4
- Jacksonville Westside, November 4
- Tallahassee, November 11
Georgia
- Dahlonega, November 4
- Glynn County, October 7
- Lake Winfield Scott, September 30
- Toco Hills Alliance, October 14
Idaho
- Ada County, October 21
- Canyon County, October 21
- Mini/Cassia, September 29
- Twin Falls, September 22
Illinois
- Adams County, October 28
- Aurora, September 23
- Bureau County, October 14
- Chicago, October 21
- Eureka Area, October 7
- Illinois Valley, October 7
- Joliet Area, October 21
- Naperville, October 14
- North Shore, October 14
- Northern Lake County, Octber 21
- Riverside, October 21
- Springfield, October 7
Indiana
- Boone County/Lebanon, October 21
- Danville, October 14
- DeKalb County, October 14
- Elkhart County, October 7
- Greater Muncie Area, October 7
- Indianapolis, October 21
- Monroe County, October 21
- Shelby County, November 4
- St. Joseph County, September 30
Iowa
- Albia , October 14
- Carroll, October 7
- Cedar Rapids, October 14
- Iowa Falls, October 7
Kansas
- Atchison, October 14
- Brown/Doniphan County, October 7
- Downs, October 21
- Elk County, October 23
- Hillsboro, October 7
- Lawrence, September 30
- Manhattan, October 14
- Marion, October 7
- Topeka, October 7
- Wichita, October 7
Kentucky
- Daviess County, October 21
- Franklin County, November 4
- Mason County, October 21
- Oldham County, September 23
- Warren County, November 18
Louisiana
- Baton Rouge, November 4
- New Orleans, December 30
- Shreveport, November 4
Maine
- Bath, September 23
- Bethel Area, September 30
- Castine-Brooksville, September 9
- Hancock County, September 23
- Harrison Area, September 8
- Thomaston, October 13
Maryland
- Annapolis, October 21
- Cecil County, October 7
- Cecilton, November 4
- Harford County, October 20
- Mason Dixon, October 14
- North Anne Arundel County, September 30
- Severna Park, October 21
- South Washington County, October 7
- Tri-Towns, September 23
- Walkersville, September 23
Massachusetts
- Amherst, October 21
- Boston, November 4
- Franklin County, October 21
- Greater Springfield, October 21
- Martha’s Vineyard, October 14
- Milford, October 27
- Newton, October 14
- North Shore, October 28
- Northern Berkshire County, October 14
- Westfield, October 21
- Weston, October 7
Michigan
- Albion Community, October 28
- Battle Creek, September 23
- Birmingham/Bloomfield Area, October 7
- Cadillac Area, September 23
- Detroit, October 14
- Flint Area, October 7
- Greater Lansing, October 14
- Howell Area, October 7
- Leelanau County, October 14
- Marquette County, October 7
- Mason, October 14
- Mt Pleasant Area, October 7
- Muskegon, October 7
- Saginaw County, October 14
- Saugatuck/Douglas/Ganges, September 23
- St Johns, October 7
- Traverse City, October 14
- Washtenaw/Ann Arbor, October 14
- Waterford Area, October 7
- Ypsilanti Area, October 7
Minnesota
- Duluth, September 23
- Minneapolis Metro, October 14
- Rochester Area, October 7
- St. Paul, October 14
Missouri
- Columbia, October 7
- Franklin County, October 7
- Jefferson City Area, October 14
- Kansas City, October 14
- Saint Louis, September 23
- Springfield, October 7
Montana
- Columbia Falls, October 14
- Hamilton, October 7
Nebraska
- Lincoln, October 14
- Omaha, October 14
- South Sioux City, October 14
- Wayne, October 14
Nevada
- Las Vegas, October 21
- Reno, October 21
New Hampshire
- Concord, September 29
- Nashua, October 28
- White Mountains, October 21
New Jersey
- Cranford, October 21
- Jersey City, November 3
- Newark, October 20
- Ramsey Area, October 14
- South Brunswick, October 14
New Mexico
- Albuquerque, October 28
- Las Cruces, October 20
New York
- Auburn, October 13
- Buffalo City, October 21
- Ithaca, October 14
- Niagara Falls, October 7
- Putnam County, October 14
- Syracuse, October 14
North Carolina
- Asheville, October 14
- Charlotte, October 14
- Greensboro, October 14
- Raleigh, October 28
- Wake Forest, September 30
- Wilmington, October 14
North Dakota
- Bismarck, October 14
Ohio
- Akron, October 14
- Cincinnati, October 7
- Columbus, October 14
- Defiance, October 7
- Lima, October 14
- Toledo, October 7
Oklahoma
- Oklahoma City, October 13
- Tulsa, October 7
Oregon
- Eugene, October 7
- Salem, October 14
Pennsylvania
- Allentown, October 14
- Bethlehem, October 14
- Erie, September 23
- Harrisburg, October 14
- Pittsburg, October 14
Rhode Island
- Block Island, August 5
South Carolina
- Clemson, October 7
- Charleston, October 21
South Dakota
- Sioux Falls, October 14
Tennessee
- Tullahoma, September 30
Texas
- Beaumont, October 21
- Corpus Christi, November 11
- El Paso, October 27
- Fort Worth, October 21
- Lubbock, October 21
- Waco, October 14
Utah
- St. George, November 11
Vermont
- Burlington, October 14
- Northfield, October 7
Virginia
- Arlington, October 20
- Ashland, October 6
- Newport News, October 14
- Richmond, November 11
Washington
- Seattle, October 7
- Yakima Valley, October 21
West Virginia
- Berkeley County, September 30
- Greenbrier Valley, October 14
Wisconsin
- Kenosha, October 14
- Lodi, October 14
- Madison, October 21
- Manitowoc, October 6
- Milwaukee, October 14
- Oshkosh Area, October 7
Wyoming
- Casper, September 22
- Sheridan, October 7
More charity walks
San Diego LGBT Pride
Race for the Arts
Salem Art Association