Kids take steps to fund food pantry

Vernon — Walnut Ridge kindergartners and first-graders plan to walk 50 miles — step by step — in an effort to raise awareness and funds for a local food pantry. Under the direction of Linda Nasarow and KEEP, Kids Educational Enrichment Program, as well as the NJ after 3 Initiative, the students will be fulfilling several objectives with the walk. “The NJ Initiative calls for us to increase children’s activities aimed at reducing childhood obesity... we are combining those efforts with a project to raise funds and awareness for our local food pantry,” Nasarow said. For the month of May, all the children will be wearing pedometers to track their steps and together they won’t stop counting until they have reached 50 miles. They have received sponsorship and support from family, friends and the community. As a kickoff for their walk, the children visited the food pantry at St. Frances de Sales Church and learned how the pantry stocks its shelves, and the many ways it helps the community.