Richard Renzema was among the last to start walking to fight hunger Saturday in Tacoma, but his timing couldn’t have been better.

“It just helps the food banks,” said Renzema, 47. “There’s so little to go around now and the need is much greater.”

The 29th annual Pierce County Hunger Walk drew several hundred walkers trying to help those in need during tough economic times.

Betsy Floyd, 16, recognized the need so she took part in the hunger walk for the first time. The junior at Bellarmine Preparatory School already serves food to homeless people once a month in downtown Tacoma.

“I just want to get more involved,” said Floyd, who walked with other teens from St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church.

The walkers chose 5-kilometer (about 3 miles) or 10-kilometer routes through Tacoma’s North End, starting and finishing at First Christian Church, 601 N. Orchard St. They strolled past the sounds of the Stadium High School Drum Line to start their walk in the morning.

The Rev. Chris Morton, executive director of Tacoma-based Associated Ministries, estimated the turnout at 400 to 500 walkers. That’s less than the 700 to 800 people who walked last year. Associated Ministries moved the event from Sunday to Saturday for the first time this year to increase turnout.

“It wasn’t what we hoped,” Morton said. He said lateness in informing churches about the event and a time conflict with another fundraising walk may have hurt turnout.

The annual hunger walk typically raises at least $225,000, and Morton said he’s hopeful that figure will still be reached. The Christian ecumenical agency, which sponsors the walk, won’t know how much money was raised until November when all the donations and pledges are collected, Morton said.

About half of the money raised goes to the Emergency Food Network, which distributes food to about 70 food banks and hot-meal sites in Pierce County. The other half goes to Church World Service or other international relief agencies and feeding programs as designated by donors.

Helen McGovern, executive director of the Emergency Food Network, said the funds raised by walkers through pledges are crucial. The demand for food from the network has increased while the amount of food donated by grocery stores has decreased, McGovern said.

The network is able to buy $12 dollars worth of food through wholesalers with every dollar raised, she said.

While people aren’t being turned away at food banks, McGovern said: “We never have enough food.”

Visits to the network’s food banks and feeding sites increased by 43 percent through August of this year compared to the first eight months of last year. There were 790,495 visits through August compared to 552,900 for the same time period last year, McGovern said.

Meanwhile, the unemployment rate in Pierce County hit 9.2 percent in August.

Trailing behind his wife, Wolfram Abicht, 85, said he just wanted to help those who are hungry.

Edith Abicht walked with her Welsh Terrier, Bandit, on a leash.

“I walk my pace and she walks hers,” Wolfram Abicht said.

The couple raised $550 they turned in before starting the hunger walk for the 11th year. Several other people from their parish, Tacoma’s Christ Episcopal Church, also took part.

“We feel like outreach is the most important thing a Christian church can do,” said Edith Abicht, 78.

Emma Forslund is just 14, but she’s been part of the hunger walk virtually her entire life. Her parents, Ken and Terry Forslund of Puyallup, started bringing her when she was a baby. The ninth-grader said she was having fun walking with her parents.

“You get to see people,” Emma Forslund said. “You’re helping the community.”

Steve Maynard: 253-597-8647 steve.maynard@thenewstribune.com