Thanksgiving is traditionally a time of plenty, a time when tables and plates are filled with turkey and stuffing and other holiday treats. Yet a recent study by the US Department of Agriculture estimated that 35.5 million Americans - an number nearly equal to the entire population of California - sometimes lack enough to eat. And a further 10.1 million adults and children, roughly the population of Michigan, often go hungry in this country.

In fact, in the four months since June 2008, demand for food aid has risen between 20 percent and 40 percent nationwide, according to leaders of national nonprofit food-distribution agencies. And these experts predict that the need for food assistance will keep growing in 2009 if the job market continues to decline.

This year, the St Bernard CROP Walk will give area residents a practical way to fight hunger in their local community and worldwide. CROP stands for Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty, and CROP Walk participants ask sponsors to make a donation for each mile that they walk. The further that participants walk, the more money they raise to help feed hungry families all around the world.

The St Bernard CROP Walk will begin at 11 AM on Thanksgiving Day, November 27, 2008 at Sidney Torres Park in Chalmette, Louisiana. The Park is located behind the St Bernard Civic Center at 8245 W Judge Perez Drive in Chalmette, and walkers can park in the Civic Center lot. The CROP Walk route at Torres Park will be a one-mile loop, so walkers can go around as often as they want to meet their personal distance goal.

Because CROP Hunger Walks are ecumenical, interfaith, multi-cultural events, individual participants can designate the money they raise to a variety of approved international hunger-fighting agencies. If no particular agency is selected, the money is used to support the worldwide ministry of Church World Service. 75% of the total funds raised by the CROP Walk go to these international hunger agencies, while 25% remain in St Bernard Parish to support the Community Center's Mustard Seed Food Distribution for low-income families. From July - September, 3,302 individuals received 65,694 lbs of food through the Mustard Seed Program.

Participants have 2 easy ways to register for the St Bernard CROP Walk. Anyone in the New Orleans area can stop by the Community Center of St Bernard, 1107 LeBeau St in Arabi, to pick up a registration pack. Or walkers from New Orleans or anywhere else in the world can sign up online at: http :// tinyurl.com/StBCropwalk While walking alone is always an option, many participants have fun walking as a group with their families, friends and co-workers! Once a walker has registered, whether at the online website or by filling out a printed information packet from the Community Center, they decide how far they want to walk and then ask friends, relatives, neighbors or business associates to sponsor them.

And finally, on November 27, the walk will begin at 11 AM sharp, rain or shine! Walkers are encouraged to arrive 20-30 minutes early to sign in and receive route maps, t-shirts and bottled water. There will be a Welcoming Ceremony to start the event, complete with live music. And the walk will end with an Awards Ceremony to honor both the individual and the group who have raised the most contributions, as well to recognize the organization (school, church, business, etc) that had the most walkers participating.

Anyone who is not able to be in St Bernard Parish on November 27 to walk at Torres Park is welcome to register for the event online and then do their own personal walk, wherever they may be on Thanksgiving Day. And every participant, no matter where they walk, will receive a Certificate of Thanks to commemorate their contribution. For more information, please contact the Community Center of St Bernard at 504-281-2512 or visit www.ccstb.org/thanksgiving