Interfaith Hunger Walks Scheduled

The annual Interfaith Hunger Walks will take place Sunday in Newport Beach and Irvine. A 7-K walk will begin at St. Mark Presbyterian Church and Harbor Reform Temple in Newport Beach . The 5-K route will begin at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Irvine. The walks are coordinated by Church World Service and co-sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Orange County and the Newport Mesa Irvine Interfaith Council.

“This is a time of critical need for people both here at home and around the world,” said the Rev. Rob Stewart, associate pastor at St. Mark Presbyterian Church and coordinator of the Newport Beach Walk. Jerry Kaplan is coordinator of the Irvine Walk. He is a member of the Jewish Federation of Orange County Community Relations Committee.

Locally, funds will support food programs of FISH, Share Our Selves and MAZON, a Jewish Response to Hunger. Also receiving funds will be the Episcopal Service Alliance, Irvine Temporary Housing, Lutheran Social Service and Orange Coast Interfaith Shelter. Proceeds for aid to foreign countries will go through Church World Service, American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, CARE, Catholic Relief Services, Christian Reformed World Relief Committee, Project HOPE and other international agencies that help people in more than 70 countries.

Registration for the 7-K Walk will begin at noon at 2100 Mar Vista Drive, Newport Beach. The 5-K Walk registration will be at 12:30 p.m. at 4400 Barranca Parkway, Irvine. There is no entry fee, but each walker is encouraged to bring at least $50 in sponsorship. For sponsor records or more information, call Stewart at (714) 644-1341 for the Newport Beach area or Kaplan at (714) 651-9830 for the Irvine area.