Despite a struggling economy and increasing unemployment rate, in 2007, nearly 150 communities across Michigan united to raise more than $2.2 million dollars to end poverty and hunger through CROP Hunger Walks.

CROP stands for Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty, and is a community based fundraising effort of humanitarian organization Church World Service (CWS). Funds donated through CROP Hunger Walks are used to help local and international communities.

In Haiti, CWS partners with many organizations to provide education and vocational training, sustainable agriculture and development projects, and micro-credit opportunities to struggling women.

Lary Jackson, Michigan CWS Assistant Director, witnessed these programs first-hand in January 2008 when he visited Haiti with other CWS leaders. While at a rural farming cooperative, Lary said his team noticed the organization’s logo consisted of several interconnected circles and asked the co-op leaders what it meant.

“They all stood up, interlocked arms and said ‘Come over here and try to push us over,’” said Jackson. “They then went on to say that we’re much stronger when we work together.”

Lary said he then came to think of CWS as being a part of that strong link as well.

“We came to an understanding of how CWS works alongside local communities to enhance their programs and offer resources and expertise as we join hand in hand with them,” said Jackson.

CROP Walkers like Bill Wade are also one of many links in a long chain of solidarity throughout Michigan and the country that reach out to the impoverished and make programs like these possible.

By collecting donations, Wade was able to raise nearly $8,000 for the Chelsea/Dexter CROP Hunger Walk, making him the Walker who raised the second highest amount of funds in 2007, statewide. Other Top Walkers for the Michigan CROP Hunger Walks were John and Wendy Kreitz of Beverly Hills, who raised more than $10,000 and Dr. Peter Thoms of Flint who raised more than $7,000.

Wade began participating in CROP Hunger Walks in 1972 and has been walking to support CROP ever since. He said that many of his donors are people in his community that are already aware of the CROP Hunger Walk and give every year.

“If they have any kind of conscience, they jump at the chance to help,” said Wade.

Wade also added that the walk is something the community should be involved in because it serves people who don’t ask to be in the position they are in.

“It’s to show a kind of symbolic togetherness with those that have to walk for water and wood and medicine to survive,” said Wade.

According to CWS, hungry people in developing countries often walk many miles a day to find the necessary food, water, and fuel for survival.

Other links that came together to make 2007 such a successful year were members of the Holland/Zeeland Walk. For the 25th consecutive year, the Holland/Zeeland CROP Hunger Walk was the leading Walk in Michigan and raised more than $215,000. The Greater Lansing Walk was the second highest CROP Hunger Walk and raised more than $85,000, and the Birmingham/Bloomfield area was close behind with nearly $80,000 in funds raised.

Up to a quarter of the funds donated in a CROP Hunger Walk are distributed to local poverty and hunger fighting agencies.

Given the economic situation of the state, those funds can be very helpful according to Jean Kellom, Executive Director of the Midland Emergency Food Pantry. The Midland Emergency Food Pantry has been receiving CROP Hunger Walk funds for over 20 years and operates seven different pantries in the Midland county area.

Simply stated, the Midland Emergency Food Pantry feeds the hungry, said Kellom, and many programs are in place to accomplish this. The pantry not only operates in its facilities, but also offers nutrition programs, food baskets to seniors, and mobile food pantries. As many as 1,000 people can be served during a mobile food pantry day, said Kellom.

Kellom also described a Backpack Buddies program, which the pantry partners in to help school children with hunger needs.

“There was an article in the paper about kids going home from school and not having any food over the weekend,” said Kellom. “Then they’d come to school on Monday, faint from hunger.”

The Backpack Buddies program was started for the whole county soon after this hunger issue received attention, said Kellom. The program provides elementary students who are on the free or reduced lunch with a backpack full of food for the weekend.

In 2007, more than 370 Michigan Hunger Agencies received more than $540,000 in funds from CROP Hunger Walks. These funds have enabled area hunger agencies, like the Midland Emergency Food Pantry, Manna Food Project, Brother Dan’s Food Pantry, Alliance Against Violence and Abuse, and Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes to better serve the hungry and impoverished margin of the community.

The Kalamazoo Valley CROP Hunger Walk with a donation of $1,500 supported the Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes Food Bank. The Petoskey/Bay View CROP Hunger Walk also supported their community by donating to local hunger agencies. Both the Manna Food Project and Brother Dan’s Food Pantry received nearly $2,900 each from the Walk donations. The compassion and drive of CROP Hunger Walkers extended into the U.P., as well, where the Manistique CROP Hunger Walk made a donation to the Alliance Against Violence and Abuse of nearly $500.

Whether the effects were felt locally or internationally, 2007 proved to be a year where CROP Hunger Walkers linked together to form a long chain of solidarity responding to poverty and truly acting out the motto of CROP; “We Walk Because They Walk.”

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Total Income was $2,720,810 marking the eighth consecutive year Michigan has topped the $2.4 million level. Michigan has been the leading Walk fund raising Region in the U.S.A. for CWS the past 22 years.

Walks in 144 communities resulted in $2,204,417 with 22,144 participants. The average income per Walker was $107.98.

374 Michigan Hunger Agencies received $540,272 in funds from local CROP Hunger Walks in 2007.

37 Years of Walking in Michigan have provided over $10 million of resources for Michigan hunger agencies and $31 million for the global hunger/poverty programs of CWS in more than 80 countries. CROP Hunger Walks in Michigan started in 1971 with 20-mile Walks in Marne and Midland.

Leading CROP Hunger Walk was Holland/Zeeland, for the 25th consecutive year, with a total income of $217,907. The Greater Lansing Walk was the second highest funded event with income of $86,542. The third largest Walk was Birmingham/Bloomfield Area with $79,823. The four-county Metro Detroit area is the second leading fund raising area for CWS in the U.S.A.

Top Walkers were John & Wendy Kreitz of Beverly Hills - $10,707, Bill Wade of Dexter - $7,700, Dr. Peter Thoms of Flint - $7,052.

Major and Planned Giving Income exceeded $102,000 for Michigan CWS in bequests and grants.

Leading Churches/Parishes were First United Methodist Church in Birmingham with $38,449, Kirk
in the Hills Presbyterian Church of Bloomfield Hills with $25,311, and Dexter United Methodist Church collecting $15,109.

Designated Funds for sister U.S. International Agencies amounted to $79,939 including Catholic Relief Services, Lutheran World Relief, Christian Reformed World Relief Committee, National Assoc. of Evangelicals W.R.C., etc.

“Million Dollar Walks” (cumulative) are Holland/Zeeland - $3,116,494, Greater Lansing - $1,817,830, Washtenaw/Ann Arbor - $1,385,176, Saginaw - $1,192,523, and Kalamazoo Valley - $1,078,595.

30 Years (or more) Community CROP Hunger Walks are Greater Jackson Area,  Greater Lansing, Kalamazoo Valley, Lakewood Area, Lenawee/Adrian, Midland, Sturgis, Tri-Cities (Grand Haven), Washtenaw/Ann Arbor, and Williamston/Webberville.

CWS Tools & Blankets Program was the second largest source of  program funds with donations of kits and income totaling $277,134.

History records, that Michigan CWS/CROP volunteers have collected $56 million in farm commodities, clothing, blankets, kits, and cash in the past 60 years. CROP was organized in Michigan in 1947. The first 20 railroad carloads of Michigan grain were shipped in February 1948. David Bower was named the Michigan Director in 1970.

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Janet Schultz (left) and Lee Danville check the progress of their goal of $7,800 for the Water for Life/Water for All Program, helping bring clean water to the people of Kenya. They are from Shelby United Church of Christ. Photo: Johanna Balzer/CWS

Lee Danville, and other women from the Shelby UCC Women’s Association heard stories about the need for water in Kenya. While looking through CWS’s “The Best Gift Catalog,” Lee saw the opportunity to provide funds for a well. Lee spoke with our staff, and set to work to raise $7,800 for the new CWS “Water for Life/Water for All” program.

With lots of prayers and enthusiasm, they also invited the women of the Newaygo, Fruitport, Fremont, Grant, and Hart UCC’s to join them. In April, Michigan Director David Bower and Associate Director Johanna Balzer joined a gathering of the participating churches in Shelby, where David shared his slides and stories from the areas of the water programs.

Thanks to a variety of fund-raisers, the participating churches exceeded their goal this summer, collecting $8,816.95. If you are a member of a group, or know of a group that would like to make a special gift to Church World Service, beyond your CROP Hunger Walk, please be in contact with the regional office.

We can also use your help in identifying potential major new sources of funds whether they be a church endowment fund, a foundation, or an individual. Have you considered putting Church World Service in your estate plans?

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Opportunities for making a personal major impact in alleviating hunger and its related injustices are available through the Church World Service (CWS) Africa Initiative and the Balkans program. You can help CWS expand its breadth of fund-raising by encouraging family, friends, your congregation, and, of course, yourself, to bless CWS with a major gift or by including CWS in estate plans.

Through the Africa Initiative, a major gift can mean clean water for a community, safe schools for children, and livelihood for AIDS orphans. A gift to the Balkans program, which is rebuilding war-torn lands, means that families can return to their rural communities with employment opportunities. Gifts for the Balkans program also qualify for matching funds.

Foundations are another promising source for significant funds. You may be able to identify matching gifts for your CROP Hunger Walk or help the Michigan Region staff identify family or community foundations that would be interested in partnering with CWS to make a major gift. A growing number of communities are increasing their CROP Hunger Walk income by qualifying for a match from a community foundation or a family foundation within a community foundation system.

If you or someone you know are over age 70½, remember that CWS is one of the charitable agencies that can be used for the 2007 IRA rollover opportunity. This means that CWS can be named for payment directly from an IRA, pre-tax. This allows the donor to save income tax up-front on their contribution, or make a larger gift to CWS with their tax savings. For example, if a donor used their IRA rollover for a $1,200 gift, they could increase their gift to $1,667 (if in the 28% tax bracket) at no additional after-tax cost.

There are many more opportunities to partner with CWS in expanding our fund-raising efforts. For further information, contact David Bower or Johanna Balzer at 888-297-2767.

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Africa Slide Show Available

Offer your group a beautiful and intriguing slide show personally photographed in Kenya and presented by David Bower, Director of Michigan CWS/CROP.

Learn about CWS’s African priorities: water, safe schools, and income generation projects for those affected by HIV/AIDS. The program requires 30 to 60 minutes, including Q & A. Call today to schedule this outstanding program at 888-297-2767 or e-mail dbower@churchworldservice.org.

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Education: Graduated from Achimota School in Ghana, West Africa, in 1967 and enrolled at The Catholic University of America, Washington D.C., with a full USAID scholarship. Graduated cum laude with a Bachelors degree in Chemical Engineering in December 1970. Obtained a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in 1975.

Family: Victor and his wife Linda will celebrate their 28th wedding anniversary in June 2007. Children include Rachel, 18, Christopher, 20, and stepson, Jim, 32, and three step-grandchildren, Nick, 12, Gabe, 9, and Isaac, 7.

When did you first become aware of hunger and poverty in the world?

My life in Ghana was certainly not one of luxury, but I don’t remember ever going hungry or seeing anybody go hungry either. Albeit I was keenly aware, in particular, of the lack of clean water and the extraordinary efforts required getting any. You might say I have done my share of carrying a bucket on my head, walking many miles to fetch whatever water one could find. The other major awareness was the lack of decent toilet facilities and sanitation in general. I vividly remember wondering whether pit latrines were as pervasive in other countries as they were in my home country!

My first real exposure to hunger and poverty was in the U.S. when as a newly arrived college student we toured the eastern U.S. through southern Pennsylvania, northwestern Maryland, and West Virginian regions of Appalachia. I couldn’t believe what I saw in this land of riches. I find it incredible that there are people living in the U.S. who feed themselves by rummaging through garbage, even today. Working on short-term missions with Habitat for Humanity in central Michigan, and with World Servants in West Virginia, I have seen unbelievable and unacceptable deprivation in the most advanced nation in the world.

Why do you serve on the CWS Michigan Advisory Board?

I was first invited to serve as a CWS constituent interpreter in 1997 after returning from an eye-opening fact-finding mission trip to Honduras with CWS. The work being done by the CWS partner agency Christian Commission for Development confirmed for me what I expected; that funds raised by CWS/CROP were being put to redemptive and productive uses. Later, I was invited to serve on the CWS Michigan Advisory Board. On the board I have sought to help the staff develop strategy and execute programs that enhance their effectiveness in creating awareness of the needs of the poor and hungry, and raising funds for programs to reduce hunger and poverty. This is a daunting endeavor; the challenge is immense, but together we can and must make a measurable difference in people’s lives.

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Bob Barnhart joined the Church World Service/CROP Michigan Region in Lansing on August 5, 1996 and is currently Associate Director. Bob works with some 50 volunteer teams in 20 counties, assisting them with their planning of CROP events.

In November 2002, he traveled to West Africa and visited CWS sponsored development projects in Senegal, Burkina Faso, and The Gambia. The projects visited included community gardens tended by women’s and youth groups, an agricultural training center, micro-loan bank, schools, and skills training center. Bob has given numerous presentations on these programs.

Bob led a Mission Team from his church to Nicaragua in July 2001. They worked with CWS partner agency CEPAD (Council of Evangelical Churches in Nicaragua) to finish construction of new homes to replace ones severely damaged by Hurricane Mitch. “Working side-by-side in solidarity with the Nicaraguan community members was heartwarming and inspiring.” This was Bob’s second trip to the region, having seen first-hand the work of CWS partner agency the Christian Commission for Development of Honduras in 1997. Both agencies do an outstanding job of organizing and equipping very poor communities to improve their situations.

He brings a long history of service to those in need. Beginning as a VISTA Volunteer in 1970, he worked in a job-training program at the Shelby County Penal Farm outside of Memphis, TN. Following this experience, Bob worked as a child-care worker at a home for emotionally impaired children in Kalamazoo before joining the American Red Cross in 1974. During his 15-year career with the ARC, Bob worked as a social worker, a Disaster Specialist, Assistant Director of a Chapter, and a Blood Services Coordinator. He also spent two years as the Planned Giving Officer for the Michigan Division of the American Cancer Society.

Bob has a deep, abiding faith in God and in the goodness people can achieve through Christian service. He is a member of Okemos Community Church, where he currently teaches the High School Sunday school class. Bob has served as the Chairman of the Missions/Outreach Committee and as the Chairman of the Church Cabinet.

Bob is a graduate of Kalamazoo College and Michigan State University. He lives in Okemos with his wife, Laurie, and son, Zach. His older son, Andy, is a student at Michigan State University. Bob believes that the challenges of hunger, conflict, homelessness, sickness, and lack of work or tools can be met by currently available resources if we only choose to lovingly share them.

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Visiting displaced people and returnees from the latest Balkans’ war were Johanna’s latest experiences with the realities of the work of Church World Service. In Serbia/Montenegro and Bosnia/Herzegovina Church World Service provided relief supplies during the war, and is currently helping farmers and small business people generate jobs and income, rebuild or replace destroyed homes, and be a presence of hope in the lives of those affected by the war.

Previous overseas visits to Egypt, Kenya, Senegal, Peru, and Chile have been incredible experiences in seeing how Church World Service and the denominations respond to the needs of vulnerable people. Johanna has been with Church World Service since 1981. In 1988 she began serving directly with the CROP Hunger Walks in approximately 50 central and northern Michigan communities. In 2006, she began working in the areas of planned/major gifts, and is currently the staff resource for 30 CROP Hunger Walks.

“Every time I turn on the faucet, look at my healthy children and grandchildren, drive into my garage, or eat a meal, I am reminded of the billions of people around the world who don’t have the bountiful life that I enjoy. It makes me all the more determined to try to make life a little better, for as many as I can,” states Johanna.

Her husband, Ron, is an elementary school teacher in Bath. She has two married daughters and three grandchildren, and lives on a farm in DeWitt Township that has been in her family since 1835. Johanna is a member of Gunnisonville United Methodist Church, near Lansing. She has a degree in social work from Michigan State University.

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David C. Bower, the Church World Service/CROP Director for Michigan since January, 1970, is a Mennonite and former CWS Representative in Pakistan for three years. A native of Pennsylvania and a graduate of Bluffton College with a degree in Business Administration, Mr. Bower went to East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) as a Mennonite volunteer in 1963 as Administrator of CWS programs. He worked an additional year representing CWS in West Pakistan and India during the severe drought of 1966. David Bower received an Outstanding Performance Award by the CWS Personnel Committee for his administrative work in East Pakistan as a volunteer.

In November, 1995, Mr. Bower photographed and studied CWS partner programs in Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, and Tanzania. CWS was funding human development programs sponsored by inter-church agencies in East Africa, was providing income generating activities for the widows of the Rwanda genocide, and was providing personnel and resources for Rwandan refugee camps. Mr. Bower visited East Africa again in April of 2005, focusing on new CWS priorities in Kenya and Uganda. Under the “Africa Initiative” CWS is funding new programs focused on: water resources, safe schools, and widows and orphans affected by HIV/AIDS.

Mr. Bower traveled to Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand in November of 1990 to participate in an Overseas Educational Experience for CWS and photographed village programs. Highlights of the programs studied in Vietnam were medical, health, and sanitation; while in Cambodia CWS funded programs include a vegetable seed production farm, a water buffalo disease diagnosis laboratory and a buffalo vaccination program. In Thailand, Bower visited refugees from Burma and Laos, and vocational training programs in urban slums sponsored by C.C.T.

In August, 1985, Mr. Bower studied CWS programs in four countries of southern Africa, including Botswana, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. In these countries, Mr. Bower met with church leaders to assess emergency and development programs after visiting refugee camps, village cooperatives, food distribution centers, and vocational training programs, water resource programs, etc.

Thailand was special three-month assignment for Mr. Bower in 1980. His main responsibility in Bangkok was servicing the communication needs of the CWS staff persons in Cambodia. While in Thailand, Mr. Bower also visited Laos and Khmer refugee camps housing 330,000 refugees in addition to development programs in Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand.

CWS development projects in Indonesia, Bangladesh and India were visited by Mr. Bower in 1976 to evaluate development efforts in the villages of Asia. In 1973, he visited CWS/CROP programs throughout the countries of Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

Mr. Bower came to Michigan from Elkhart, Indiana, where he served as the Office Manager at the CWS/CROP National Office for three years. Mr. Bower resides in the Lansing area which is the location of the Michigan Regional CWS/CROP Office. Michigan has led all CWS regions in CROP Hunger Walk fund raising the past 20 years during David’s leadership.

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“Loving God and neighbor is at the core of my life’s witness and mission ,” states Lary Jackson. He is the newest addition to the Michigan CWS/CROP Regional office team. Lary joined CWS/CROP in March of 2006 and serves as assistant director focusing upon the Western Michigan area.

Lary grew up in Detroit during the 1960’s and 1970’s, graduating from Osborn High School in 1975. Through those years of cultural challenge and adversity, he grew to appreciate the rich diversity of his neighbors as well as God’s call to stand up with and for his neighbors in the face of injustice. Following graduation, he attended Hope College in Holland, MI, where he received a B.A. in psychology/sociology. He continued his education at Western Theological Seminary, graduating with a Master’s of Divinity in 1983.

Lary was first introduced to CWS/CROP in 1981 while on a seminary internship in Albany, NY. The youth group had CROP walked in the past and that year he became the recruiter for First Church. Upon completion of his seminary education, he received a call to minister in Grand Haven, MI, at Second Reformed Church. For 20 years he served this church and the community. Because of his positive experience with CROP in Albany, he was happy to coordinate a walk in the Tri Cities (Grand Haven, Spring Lake and Ferrysburg) as a fresh out of seminary pastor. This led to a 19 year stint as a coordinator, a wonderful way to proclaim God’s love for all people and gratefully respond to our neighbors.

Throughout his ministry, Lary has sensed God’s invitation to impact the community for Christ’s sake. Service as a fire chaplain, with LOVE INC., Habitat for Humanity, the Housing Coalition, the ministerial association, and the community coalition to combat racism were a few of the avenues traveled to pursue peace and justice. He also led several mission trip adventures to a variety of places: Chicago; New York City; Detroit; Grand Rapids; Apache, Oklahoma; Breton, Alabama; Neon, Kentucky; Honduras; and Israel. Through each of these opportunities came the ability to express love for God and neighbor.

Most recently, Lary served the Resurrection Reformed Church in Flint, MI, as an interim minister. There, too, he was able to participate with CWS/CROP as a recruiter and walker for his church. Over the past 25 years, a common thread in his life has been an association and love for the ministry and mission of CWS/CROP.

In 1997, he was invited to travel to Central America on a CWS Constituent Trip. Through this experience, he was able to see firsthand how Jesus’ commission of spreading the good news would begin in the local community and then could be extended and expanded throughout the world through partners of CWS.

It is an honor and a privilege to minister with Church World Service/CROP and serve alongside so many people who seek to extend Jesus’ hands to those in need. Lary is especially pleased to work with the cooperating churches throughout Western MI who have demonstrated a willingness and commitment to work together to address human need and challenges for God’s sake. He looks forward to coming alongside many to continue the mission of CWS/CROP: “Christians working together with partners to eradicate hunger and poverty and to promote peace and justice around the world.” To this end may we walk together, being merciful neighbors to whomever God puts in our path.

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