The Venice CROP Hunger Walk team is celebrating 35 years and $1.3 million raised in Venice for global hunger relief.
CROP originated as Christian Rural Overseas Program.
The walk’s parent organization, Church World Service, returns 25% of the money each year to the local CROP team for distribution, which means that since 1989, $333,000 in grants has been awarded to local nonprofits.
Venice is the No. 1 CROP Hunger Walk in Florida, No. 7 in the southeast United States and No. 35 out of more than 700 in the U.S.
The annual CROP Hunger Concert is at 3 p.m. Feb. 18 at South Venice Baptist Church, 3167 Englewood Road. It will feature a community choir, solos, quartets, piano, guitar and religious and secular music. An ice cream social follows the concert.
The event is free but donations will be accepted, with 100% of them being divide among the Center of Hope Church, Trinity Presbyterian Community Assistance Ministry and Venice Community Mobile Meals, aka Meals on Wheels.
The 2024 John Clay Memorial Venice CROP Hunger Walk will be on Sunday, Feb. 25.