 Artwork: Janet Carson |
The CROP Boxcar
The story of this boxcar in the picture is an inspiring one. The boxcar was painted with these patriotic stripes by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad in 1946. The boxcar’s primary mission was to help Midwestern farm families share their grain with hungry neighbors in post-World War II Europe.
There had been an abundant harvest of wheat in the United States that year. Through spontaneous efforts of farmers in Midwest states, with the help of newly formed Church World Service, a program of great proportions was launched as trains picked up grain from town to town. By the end of 1948 there were more than 2,000 freight cars loaded with gifts of grain, beans, rice and cotton, bound for eastern ports. On every car was painted C.R.O.P., which stood for Christian Rural Overseas Program.
Fast forward 21 years to October 17, 1969. A thousand people in Bismarck, North Dakota walked in the first ever CROP Hunger Walk and raised $25,000 to help stop hunger around the world. The CROP name had been adopted by Church World Service to support their relief programs, and today Church World Service focuses its work on the grassroots hunger-fighting and development efforts of partner agencies in more than 80 countries. It brings together churches and communities for a truly ecumenical effort. Because CROP Hunger Walks are interfaith, multi-cultural events, individual donors have the option of designating their gifts to other international hunger-fighting agencies, and communities can return up to 25 percent of what their local CROP Hunger Walk raises to hunger programs in their own communities.
Let's return to the spontaneous spirit of giving mirrored in those boxcars full of food more than fifty years ago by walking and pledging generously in the CROP Hunger Walk!
Story and painting by Janet Carson, Eau Claire, Wisconsin