Congregations, schools, community groups, families and individuals will make a 10K or 1-mile trek through Allentown to raise funds that support hunger relief through local soup kitchens and food banks and around the world Oct. 2.

The walk starts 1:30 p.m. at St. Timothy’s Lutheran Church, Ott and Walnut streets, Allentown.

This annual event, sponsored by the Lehigh Conference of Churches, is one of hundreds of CROP Hunger Walks held around the country –with thousands of hunger fighters of all ages, faiths and backgrounds raising millions of dollars to provide emergency response to floods and other disasters, as well as support for hunger relief and hunger prevention programs in the United States and throughout the world.

One-quarter of the total proceeds of the Greater Allentown CROP Hunger Walk are shared between the Lehigh Conference of Churches’ Ecumenical Conference Kitchen and the Allentown Area Ecumenical Food Bank.

There are two opportunities for local walkers of all ages and abilities to get involved:

• A 10K loop through Allentown, with rest stops along the way.

• An accessible “Golden Mile” through the neighborhood around St. Timothy Lutheran Church.

Nonperishable food items will be collected at the walk by the Allentown Area Ecumenical Food Bank. Needed items include canned tuna, beans, vegetables, fruit and soup, plus peanut butter, rice, cereal and pasta and sauce.

For those unable to walk Oct. 2, donations can be made online at crophungerwalk.org/allentownpa.

Churches, schools and community organizations who want to get involved can register for the Greater Allentown CROP Walk at crophungerwalk.org/allentownpa.

For more information about this year’s CROP Hunger Walk, contact Rev. Dianne Kareha, planning team convener at 610-706-0168 or email karehad@gmail.com or contact Conference Development Officer Christopher Moran at 610-433-6421 or email cmoran@lehighchurches.org.