The fifth annual Tamaqua Community Hunger Walk capped off a month’s worth of events and fundraisers to quell hunger issues in the Tamaqua area.

For the third year in a row, dozens of volunteers had to walk on the rain date after postponing the original May 6 walk due to thunderstorms. Despite the occasional misting on the makeup day too, it did little to hinder the cause during Sunday’s walk.

The walk, spanning a few city blocks, started and ended outside the Tamaqua Community Arts Center.

Event Chairman Paul Dodson said walkers are sponsored through private and public donors and the money raised is split evenly among the three food banks in Tamaqua, which serve around 300 area families. He added that numerous people also sold dollar donation stickers around town.

“It’s a great event for a great cause — the community really rallies together in a show of support,” Dodson said. “Nobody should go hungry, and every little bit donated helped.”

Last year’s Hunger Walk raised $5,350 and collected 112 boxes of food that was split evenly among food pantries at the Tamaqua Salvation Army, Trinity United Church of Christ and the Primitive Methodist Church.

A fellowship and celebration time with ice cream immediately followed the walk at the art center where individuals, organizations and businesses were also recognized for their work in the 2018 community hunger campaign.

Dodson said the event, now in its fifth year, continues to grow, and is excited to see what results this year’s walk yields.

In 2016, the event raised a little more than $3,000, and last year organizers broke the $5,000 mark. Though attendance has been inconsistent due to the weather, Dodson said it hasn’t affected anyone helping in other ways.

“We’re appreciative of all our gracious donors. Each year it seems people are doing more and more to fight hunger in Tamaqua,” Dodson said.

Results from the Hunger Walk events will be announced later this summer.

The walk is an activity of the Tamaqua Area Faith Fellowship Network, a 501c3 nonprofit under the umbrella of the Tamaqua Area Community Partnership.

For more information on the work of TAFFN, visit taffn.org.