Bethlehem will celebrate four decades of community action against hunger when the 40th annual Bethlehem CROP Hunger Walk steps off on Sunday, October 19, 2025. The event begins at 2 p.m. at Central Moravian Church (73 W. Church Street), with a pizza lunch available at 1 p.m.
This year’s walk carries extra meaning as it coincides with Bethlehem’s new UNESCO World Heritage Site designation for its Moravian Church Settlements. Participants will follow a two-mile route through the city’s historic streets, passing local agencies that assist families in need. A one-mile option is also available.
Since the first CROP Walks began in 1969, the nationwide movement has grown into more than 1,300 events supporting hunger relief efforts at home and abroad. In 2024, Lehigh Valley walkers raised nearly $42,000, contributing to the $3 million collected nationally.
Locally, 25% of proceeds stay in Bethlehem, helping organizations such as Bethlehem Emergency Sheltering, Lehigh Conference of Churches, Essentials Café, Freezer Ministry and Garden Gatherers, and New Bethany. The remainder supports Church World Service (CWS) projects worldwide, including food aid, refugee healthcare, and sustainable farming programs.
Registration for individuals and teams is open at events.crophungerwalk.org/bethlehempa. Donations can be made online or in person, with checks payable to “CWS/CROP.”
As rising food insecurity challenges both local families and global communities, the Bethlehem CROP Hunger Walk continues to bring people together with one shared mission: to take steps toward ending hunger everywhere.
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