Though it's true that a CROP Walk concerns food, the title means something quite different than what one might expect.

Created in 1969 by the Church World Service, an international ecumenical organization made up of 35 Protestant, Orthodox and Anglican denominations, a “CROP Walk” is an acronym for Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty.

Each year, approximately 2,000 CROP Hunger Walks, as they are popularly known, are held in the United States, and raise millions of dollars that are used to purchase food, plant seeds and irrigation systems in the United States and some 80 countries worldwide.

Beginning this Sunday, CROP Walks will be held over the next several weekends in numerous communities in the area.

The first walk will take place Sunday, Oct. 5, in Weedsport and is being organized in part by the Rev. Val White, leader of First United Methodist Church there.

“We had 40 people involved (in the walk) last year, and we're hoping to have twice as many this year,” White said this past weekend from her Auburn home.

For each walk, she explained, participants solicit donors who sponsor them for each mile walked - most have both a one-mile and a five-mile course - while some contributors donate a flat fee.

Amy Bobbette, community outreach coordinator of CWS's Upstate New York Regional Office in North Syracuse, said her office oversees about 80 CROP Walks in the region each fall and about 40 each spring.

“Our office actually covers 50 counties,” she explained, noting that last year, her office alone raised approximately $950,000 for the cause. And with 21 CWS regional offices nationwide, the funds raised annually are into the tens of millions of dollars, she added.

After Weedsport's CROP Walk this Sunday, walks will be held in Aurora/Union Springs, Moravia, Skaneateles and Jordan/Elbridge on Oct. 19. And later in the month walks will be held in Auburn and Hannibal.

Sunday's walk in Weedsport, White explained, will begin with registration at the First United Methodist Church. After a time of prayer, the walk will start with walkers following a one-mile course through downtown or a longer course that will travel toward Centerport Road west of town.

Afterwards, walkers will return to the church for refreshments and entertainment, she added.

“Last year we raised about $1,300. ... we're hoping that number goes up this time,” she said.

In addition, Bobbette said that organizers of each affair can contribute up to 25 percent of funds raised to a local charity of their choosing.

“We'll be donating our 25 percent to the Brutus/Sennett Food Pantry,” White said.

Both White and Bobbette said that this year's series of CROP Walks are sorely needed.

“This year especially, with the economic situation we have, there are just more people in need of food. ... than in probably the last 30 years or so,” White said.

If you go

What: Weedsport CROP Walk

When: Registration begins at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 5;

walk begins at 1 p.m.

Where: Begins at First United Methodist, 2744 E. Brutus St.

To learn more: Contact the Rev. Val White at 255-1931 or rsvc@localnet.com