As the executive director of the Inter-Faith Council for Social Service, I believe in the power of one -- one person, one family, one congregation, one business, one donation.

I'm fortunate to witness on a daily basis the generosity of individuals: the child who brings in money he raised from selling lemonade to provide food for other children who don't have enough to eat; the volunteer who gives her time and energy to help clients who visit IFC's Community Services; the college student who serves food at IFC's Community Kitchen. I see the strength of the single mother who works two jobs to provide for her family yet still needs the support of IFC's Food Pantry to feed her family. I observe the determination of individual men at IFC's Community House who work to address the challenges that resulted in their being without shelter of their own.

This spring, I witnessed the power of the many individuals who completed the CROP Hunger Walk in April. This walk, which the IFC sponsors in conjunction with Church World Service, has raised money in each of the past 22 years to address hunger, both in our local community and throughout the world. On the CROP Hunger Walk -- CROP signifies Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty -- individuals join together for four miles through the diverse streets of Carrboro, Chapel Hill and the UNC campus, with rest stops and music along the way and refreshments at the end. The Walk links families and communities together to raise money in order to address the pressing need of hungry people throughout the world.

On May 13, a member of Community Church of Chapel Hill walked through the doors of the IFC's administrative offices on West Main Street to deliver an envelope filled with checks collected by her congregation for the CROP Hunger Walk. Unbeknownst to the parishioner, she was carrying the difference that IFC needed to cross our Walk goal of $53,000. We set that goal knowing that it would be the amount we needed to push us over $1 million in all-time funds raised through the Walk. This is a milestone that IFC could not have achieved without all of the individuals who have participated in CROP Hunger Walk since 1987. Our deepest thanks go to each and every one of them.

IFC keeps 25 percent of the money we raise from each CROP Hunger Walk. This year's total is currently at $60,400, the third highest total in our history. Last year, the amount we raised was the sixth highest in North Carolina and 36th highest nationwide, ahead of larger metropolitan areas including New York City, San Antonio, Texas and Arlington, Va. Again, this shows the dedication and commitment of the folks here in Orange County.

The amount IFC raised during CROP Hunger Walk will allow us to provide 6,030 individuals with meals in the Community Kitchen or bags of groceries from the Food Pantry. Church World Service will use 75 percent of the money raised by IFC for global and domestic hunger relief efforts, which could mean more than 7,800 blankets to victims of disaster, food to 82,500 people living in emergency conditions, or a day's meal for 247,000 refugees in Darfur, Sudan.

I want to thank each of the many individuals who walked, sponsored a walker and/or helped make the walk possible. It's the power of each individual that makes our community strong. There will be another chance for our community to break records during next year's CROP Hunger Walk, which is set for March 22, 2009.

In the interim, I invite each of you to continue to partner with IFC to help those who need our support. With the exponential increases in the price of fuel and food, a tightening job market and a struggling housing market, I know that many of us are challenged to make ends meet. But the people who are suffering the most are those at the bottom rung of our community. By giving your time, your money and your support to IFC, you help to make our community a strong and caring one.