Fighting for improved mental and physical health among the needy is only one item on CROP’s agenda.

Christian Rural Outreach Program not only is helping needy areas around the world, but also is fighting illiteracy, the threat of landmines and the ravages of war and natural disasters.

Beginning at 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 7 at the Newman Catholic Student Center, CROP will hold a 10 kilometer/six mile walk around DeKalb to raise money for those in need. Currently, the organization raises about $16 million a year locally and globally.

CROP, a nationwide group which started after World War II, was organized by farmers to provide crop assistance to those in need. The farmers would donate in various forms, such as corn meal and flour, to those in Europe to help rebuild after World War II. Since then the organization has done various fundraisers.

Jenny Tomkins, a current committee member of CROP, has been walking annually for 18 years.

“The goal is to raise money but also raise awareness,” Tomkins said. “As of the events from Sept. 11, I think people may have become aware of and more sensitive to [the fact that there is] widespread poverty and suffering around the world.”

In DeKalb, groups like Hope Haven, a homeless support service, the Salvation Army’s food pantry and Meals On Wheels are assisted by CROP, which donates 25 percent to the organizations.

Various other organizations are involved in the walk, including the Student Dietetic Association, the Association for Women in Communications, Golden Key Honors Society, Sigma Lambda Beta and Delta Sigma Pi.

Kelly Szlak, a senior elementary education major and president of Student Education Association, just wanted to help.

“We just wanted to join in the effort with other NIU organizations to stop the hunger,” said Szlak.

Sondra King, a member of the Church World Service and committee organizer, has seen first-hand what poverty brings to countries.

“It is a sad fact that while the U.S. is the richest nation on earth, almost one in five children in this country lives in poverty,” King said. “Slavery persists in some countries, and child

labor is still common. In many countries the average income is a dollar a day.”