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OTTUMWA, IOWA -- 3.5 miles the more than 100 Crop Walk participants walked on Sunday.

That is the distance people in developing countries walk just to get water and travel the same distance back carrying 25-40 gallons of water.

“This year in Iowa there will be about 80 Crop Hunger Walks including the one in Ottumwa. 25% of all the money raised from these roughly 80 walks will stay in local food pantries, probably a little over 100 food pantries because some communities have more than one food pantry. The rest of the money will go to Church World Service for refugees to get help and development disasters,” said Rev. Russel Melby, Church World Service Regional Director.

“Hunger is kind of, probably a lot of us don't know hunger personally and like a lot of other walks you've probably been affected by somebody in your family or something and this is kind of good because you probably don't know the people you're actually going to help on down the road and some are going to be right here in our community and others are going to be somewhere across the ocean. You’re going to be helping somebody with your donation and you’re raising the awareness of hunger. So we're going to be visible in a lot of areas around town today so that'll, people will be asking questions about what are those people doing so that's another way we can tell people able the Crop Walk,” said Rick McFarland, organizer.

“I didn't realize there were going to be so many people. This is my first Crop Walk and I am just real pleased. People from the whole community, not only Methodist Church but I think all denominations so it is very enlightening and I’m glad to see so many people and good weather,” said Linda Vogt, walker.

Organizers said they raise about $5,000 each year from the Crop Walk.