More than 30 walkers found their stride for a good cause Sunday afternoon.

The fourth Tamaqua Community Hunger Walk culminated almost a month of events and fundraising to raise awareness of the hunger issue in the Tamaqua area.For the second consecutive year, organizers had to utilize a rain date for the walk due to the weather, but it did little to soak the spirit of those in attendance."One of these years we'll get it in on the first day we schedule it for, but it's still a great event for a great cause and the community really comes out in support," said Paul Dodson, event chairman. "Walkers are sponsored and the money we raise goes evenly between the three food banks here in Tamaqua."The food pantries are located at the Salvation Army, Trinity United Church of Christ and the Primitive Methodist Church.Area churches and businesses have also been collecting food and monetary donations over the past several weeks.The Mauch Chunk Trust Company brought a check Sunday for $310.Sunday's walk began and ended in the parking lot of the St. Luke's Tamaqua Family Practice on Pine Street."I'm out here with my daughter and it's a great way to get exercise and help tackle an issue that we wish wasn't an issue anymore," said walker Deborah Hale. "Nobody should go hungry, and every little bit donated helps."According to Feeding America, 42.2 million Americans lived in food insecure households in 2015, including 29.1 million adults and 13.1 million children. Thirteen percent of households (15.8 million households) were food insecure and 5 percent of households (6.3 million households) experienced very low food security.A community empty bowl dinner was held May 6, the night before the original date for the walk.Fourteen area businesses provided soup, bread, rolls and desserts to sample.Ticket sales from that event also went to the food pantries.According to Dodson, numerous people also sold dollar donation stickers around town."We raised $6,300 and collected 83 boxes of food last year," Dodson said. "We have people registering right up until the walk starts so it's a little hard to predict what we'll take in this year. We have collected 108 boxes of food so far this year. It is so great to see that number keep going up."Following the walk, an ice cream social and celebration took place at the Tamaqua Community Art Center.