Rooke Wiser
A sign outside the Irvington Presbyterian Church promotes the 26th annual Rivertowns CROP Hunger Walk, highlighting this year's theme, "Bridge the Gap," addressing recent federal aid cuts.
The Rivertowns CROP Hunger Walk returned for its 25th year on Sunday, April 6, with organizers hoping to step in where federal support has fallen short. Hosted by the Irvington Presbyterian Church, the annual event brought together local organizations, youth groups, congregations and neighbors for a shared goal: to mobilize 200 walkers and raise $20,000 for hunger relief.
“For the last 25 years, we’ve hosted the CROP Hunger Walk, which is a national movement started by faith-based organizations trying to address food scarcity and hunger,” said Rev. Blaine Crawford, Minister of Word & Sacrament at Irvington Presbyterian Church. “It has grown here in the Rivertowns community to not just include Irvington Presbyterian Church, but people from all different houses of worship, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts and more, all focused on trying to address issues of food scarcity in our communities.”
CROP Hunger Walks first launched 55 years ago through the Church World Service under the name “Christian Rural Overseas Program,” originally focusing on sending grain from the Midwest to communities in need. Today, the walks continue with the same guiding mission: “No one in this world should be hungry.” Funds raised went to support both global and local hunger relief, from Church World Services international efforts to Feeding Westchester and the Dobbs Ferry Food Pantry.
This year’s theme, “Bridge the Gap,” references both the literal walk to the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge and the metaphorical gap caused by federal aid cuts to food assistance and social programs. “Since the pandemic, the demand at food pantries, even locally in Sleepy Hollow and Dobbs Ferry, has gone up exponentially. Further cuts at this time just put more people at risk, including many children,” said Rev. Crawford.
The day kicked off at 2 p.m. with a “Pre-walk Palooza,” on the church’s front lawn. Attendees, even those who were not walking, were invited and gathered to enjoy raffles, pizza, T-shirts (while they lasted) and an interfaith prayer setting off the looped walk to the bridge’s Welcome Center and back.
MaryJane Shimsky, a New York State Assemblymember representing District 92, which includes Dobbs Ferry, Irvington, and Hastings-on-Hudson, highlighted these cuts. “We are going to have so much trouble with all the federal budget cuts, making sure that all of our residents have a decent life, including enough food to eat,” said Shimsky. “We are already in the midst of a big affordability crisis, as people know, and the Trump administration is cutting $1.5 billion from food relief to groups like Feeding Westchester and our food pantries.
Last year’s walk drew about 70 participants and raised $7,500. This time, organizers hoped that the shrinking support for food programs would spark even greater turnout and support.
Paul Feiner, who has served as the Town Supervisor of Greenburgh for 34 years, emphasized the event’s role. “I came out here today because I don’t want to be silent, and I’m really horrified by the cuts that President Trump is making relating to food programs,” Feiner said. “When I stop by the Dobbs Ferry food pantry, I’m really surprised how many people I know who are taking advantage of the food program.”
Feiner added, “A lot of people think it’s only the homeless who need help, but these are professionals. These are your neighbors, people we know in the community who can’t afford to eat. It’s really horrible.”
The full route spanned 3.75 miles, with a group turning back at Lyndhurst for an easier, 2.25-mile journey. The event welcomed all ages and offered multiple ways to participate, including walking, donating, sponsoring a team or simply showing up.
“What we are going to have to do as a community is come out to events like this, donate wherever we can, volunteer wherever we can, to ensure everyone in our community has enough to eat, especially as other services fall by the wayside,” Shimsky said.
Rev. Blaine Crawford captured the spirit of the day: “It’s not just thinking it in our head, it’s not just feeling it in our heart. There’s something about getting into action, feeling it throughout our feet and our legs, that moves us beyond just this head knowledge we might have. We are meant to embody our values, not just think our values or post about our values.”