Red Bank CROP Hunger Walk & Church World Service

Church World Service began its work in 1946 in the aftermath of World War II. At that time seventeen Christian denominations joined forces in an effort to do more together than they thought they could accomplish individually. Their mission: " feed the hungry, clothe the naked, heal the sick, comfort the aged and shelter the homeless." Their work has grown over the past 68 years, expanding and reaching further in providing help and hope in the United States and in 180 countries around the world. Read more about the history of CWS here.

"CROP Hunger Walks are the original charity walking events in the United States." They are the community hunger appeal of CWS to support its work. The Red Bank Area CROP Walk is one of 1,400 CROP Hunger Walks in the United States. Our walk is consistently in the top 10 and is the top hunger walk in the NY/NJ Metro Region. Our nearly 1,000 walkers are part of the 145,000 walkers that join together across the US to walk to end hunger. You can read more on our walk history here.

CWS is passionate about ensuring access to proper nutritious food, with support to more than 2,200 local hunger fighting programs across the United States. Our Red Bank walk helps to support 17 local partner programs here in Monmouth County NJ. Our local partners are in the process of applying to be recipients of the proceeds from our 2014 scheduled for Sunday Oct. 19th. They will be sharing with us in the next few weeks updated information on how their programs benefit families here in Monmouth County. 

For over 3 decades: committee members, volunteers, sponsors, and walkers from many community faith groups, schools and civic organizations have worked together to raise funds to help support a growing number of local partner programs. Since 2000 we have consistently raised over $100,000. In 2013 We raised over $106,500 and collected 14,000 lbs. of food, valued at about $15,000. We walk with "Heart & Sole" in Red Bank. Thank you to Kara Romanetz for your generosity in designing our amazing t-shirts! Our hunger walk donates 25% of funds raised to local partners and the collected food to food local programs and pantries. 75% of our donations help support the national and global programs of Church World Service. 

Church World Service is about more than ending hunger. You can read more about the work of CWS: hunger and malnutrition, emergencies, refugees, immigration, children, and water. You can read where CWS works: Africa, Asia/Pacific, Europe, Latin America & Caribbean, Middle-East, and North America.

In the Red Bank CROP Walk we try to have a group do our Lug A Jug Brigade in solidarity with the people around the world that have to walk miles each day just to get safe drinking water. You can read more about how CWS works to help people to get access to sustainable sources of water here. They provide materials and education to help communities to build wells as seen in the photo below.

In the Nias Island village of Maoula, CWS/ACT has helped in the community construct a water system in the wake of the 2004 tsunami and the 2005 earthquake. Photo Paul Jeffrey/ACT Alliance.

Our first planning meeting is coming up on May 5th. If you would be interested in participating or volunteering with CROP please contact us at redbankcropwalk@gmail.com

"In Like a Lion & Out Like a Lamb" We Welcome Spring with Gratitude

 

Dan Schildge President of CRP Industries
with his son, Jack and father George

Flowers by Sara Swijter of Fair Haven

After a  long winter of cold, snow, ice, school closings, poor economy and a generally gray and bleak season we welcomed spring a bit early  March 2nd with an annual luncheon to thank our highest  level of corporate sponsorship for our 33rd CROP Hunger Walk. This sponsor level is the foundation of our fundraising campaign each year for CROP Hunger Walks. Our 2013 Top Corporate Sponsors are: CRP Industries, Adoulin Inc., Covington & Associates, JPMorgan Chase, Shrewsbury Volkswagen, Guaranteed Landscaping and Amboy Bank.

We shared conversation with adult & teen members of our 33rd walk coordinating committees. Janie Schildge our walk coordinator spoke about the history of our walk as we remembered Rev. Dave Muskins who founded the first Red Bank hunger walk as well as Dr. Marie Varley of Church World Service. Both passed away in 2013 and we continue their commitment to helping hungry people to feed themselves.  Our walk raised over $106,000 and continues to provide funds to help our 17 local partner programs going in times when need for support continues to grow. Walkers donated 14,000 lbs. of food with an in kind donation value of $18,000.

Dave and Marie Helsing from Tinton Falls 

Dave and Marie Helsing, long time volunteers, shared stories of the early years. Sara Swijter, our walk treasurer created the beautiful floral arrangements that brightened the afternoon luncheon. A few of our graduating and very busy teen leaders from 15 area Monmouth County high schools mingled with sponsors and committee members and talked about how they encourage other students to participate and fund raise for our annual hunger walk.  

Michael Thomson Vice President of
JPMorgan Bank and his wife Grace

One high school teen leader, Tracy Vollbrecht, spoke about her high school, the Marine Academy of Science & Technology which was flooded out during Super Storm Sandy in 2012 and all the students, staff, and necessary records were displaced. Funds from CROP Walks enable CWS to respond immediately to disasters and to provide long term assistance to displaced people. Super Storm Sandy was an example of how Church World Service helped in our local region.

 

Kaitlyn Walsh and Tracey Vollbrecht from MAST
and Emma Hellman from Colts Neck HS

Teresa Cintron, representing Church World Service, spoke of a young man who had been helped in a CWS program who now wanted to "pay it forward" by starting his own hunger walk. 

to help others in need. CROP Hunger walks are community wide events sponsored by CWS and organized by religious groups, business groups, schools and others to raise funds to fight hunger in the United States and around the world.




It was agreed by all that the good accomplished by local and global partners, using funds raised by our CROP Walk is well worth the effort and we look forward to renewing our partnership with all who make our Crop Walk possible.  Save the date - Sunday, October 19, 2014
We thank everyone  sponsors, walkers, volunteers and all for their participation in our Red Bank CROP Hunger Walk. Please follow us on Facebook. We've posted photos from the walk and encourage groups to share their CROP stories. Our work together does make a difference to those in need. Click on albums to see photos from our 2013 hunger walk.

Remembering Rev. Dr. David P. Muyskens Founding Spirit and Organizer of Red Bank CROP Walk

Rev. Dr. David P. Muyskens passed away on Dec. 21, 2013 at age of 83 in Sparta New Jersey. He is survived by his wife Ann and his three children. He was the father of Kirsten Schanck a current Red Bank CROP Walk committee member. We remember Rev. Muyskens as one of the earliest organizers for CROP in the Monmouth County Area. Along with a few others he organized a "CROP" beach cleanup and raised over $3,000 in 1979 to help fight hunger and poverty. In 1980 he helped to organize a volley-ball-a-thon to raise money for CROP and Church World Service. These efforts created awareness and our first official CROP Walk stepped in 1981. 

Eight years ago we celebrated 25 years of Red Bank CROP Walk with Dave Muyskens. He was happy to see the growth of the hunger walk and the support we have given to local programs that assist people to feed themselves. In 2005 we raised over $125,000 and were supporting 15 local partner programs. 

We'd like to share the following quote from the Monmouth Presbytery: Jan. 6, 2014.

 "David was born in India in 1930 to missionary parents. He came to the U.S. at age 17 to attend Hope College in Holland, MI. He attended Princeton Seminary and earned Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees. During 40 years of ministry, he served three Presbyterian Churches in New Jersey (South Amboy, Hightstown, and Shrewsbury) and United Church in Fayetteville, NY. Growing up in India during the struggloe for independence under Gandhi's leadership contributed to a lifelong passion for peace and justice. He became active in the civit rights movement, mobilizing the local community and aparticipating in protest marches. He organized CROP walks to raise money to fight world hunger and seraved on the National Board of CROP. In several Presbyteries he headed up the Peacemaking Committee. The Muyskens received numerous citations from the community and church for their efforts to combat hunger and poverty and to work for peace and justice. David was a natural athlete who loved tennis, cycling, and skiing, and represented New Jersey in the Naitonal Senior Olympics.


Donations may be sen to Church World Service, P.O.  Box 968 Elkhart, IN 46515