The 2026 CROP Hunger Walk is fast approaching. A fun, family-friendly event dedicated to eliminating hunger locally and internationally, the Hunger Walk is hitting a milestone this year, 35 years of Ending Hunger One Step At A Time. CROP Hunger Walk is a national walk, with 100% of the proceeds going directly to Fayetteville Urban Ministry and World Church to combat food insecurity. This year’s walk will take place on Sunday, March 22 at First Baptist Church on Anderson Street (parking available on Maiden Lane). Team meetup and sign-in start at 2 p.m., and the walk will begin at 3 p.m.
There is still time to create a team or walk solo. There is no registration fee; this is a donation-only walk. To pre-register, visit https://events.crophungerwalk.org/chweams?event=cumberlandcountync.
Same-day registration and donation will be available at the meetup. Pets are welcome, but owners are solely responsible for cleaning up after them. Although called a walk, participants can walk or run; this is a set-your-own-pace event.
The CROP Hunger Walk is a national event, with walks all across the country, serving different communities, all with the purpose of eliminating hunger around the world. It was created to support Church World Service, an international organization focused on food security in high-risk areas around the world.
The CROP Hunger Walk was founded to help support that mission while filling the need in the United States. When it first started in 1947, it asked farmers to donate a portion of their crops to postwar Europe and Asia to help feed neighbors who had been ravaged by the war. Over time, it became the event it is today, with the first walks occurring in Bismarck, North Dakota and York, Pennsylvania. There are now hundreds of walks all over the country. CROP Hunger Walk is far more than just a walk. It’s a fundraiser within a fundraiser. Once a team is signed up, they will receive an individual CROP Hunger Walk page, where people can donate to their team. These funds go directly to the local and international mission. Cumberland County CROP Hunger Walk is a joint effort of community volunteers, Haymount Street United Methodist Church and First Baptist Church-Anderson. Together, these organizations and the passionate people who run them make it possible to host this event.
According to Feeding America, 1 in 7 adult North Carolinians and 1 in 5 North Carolinian children face hunger. At last check, there were over one million North Carolinians facing hunger. In homes that receive help from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, 38% have children. Hunger doesn’t just affect adults; it’s generational. With the rising cost of food, housing, and basic goods, the numbers are expected to rise. For more information on hunger in North Carolina and nationwide, visit Feeding America. Everyone can make a difference. Everyone can give in some way. To learn more about CROP Hunger Walk and Church World Service, visit https://events.crophungerwalk.org/chw/event/cumberlandcountync.

(Photo courtesy of the CROP Hunger Walk Fayetteville NC-Cumberland County's Facebook page)