This year's Tamaqua Area Hunger Walk, held in May, raised $3,597 and collected 48 boxes of food to distribute among Tamaqua's three food banks.

Both food and cash donations were up over last year's totals and 66 people walked this year compared to 35 in 2014.Plans are already underway for a 2016 Hunger Weekend, May 14-15."We would love to expand our 'fighting hunger' theme to the entire weekend, and we even have some ideas," says organizer Paul Dodson from Bethany ECC in Tamaqua, "but we need champions to step forward who are willing to help develop those ideas."Organizations or people interested in helping next year can contact Dodson at 570-668-0289.The walk is an activity of the Tamaqua Area Faith Fellowship Network under the umbrella of the Tamaqua Area Community Partnership.