The fifth annual Unity March attracted hundreds of Champaign-Urbana citizens and community organizers Saturday morning.

One purpose of this year’s march, organized by C-U Citizens for Peace and Justice, was to raise awareness that the Nov. 4 election ballot will feature a referendum proposing the increase of the city of Champaign’s budget by two cents per $100 of assessed property value to generate money to fight poverty.

“People obviously care for the poor, but in regards to this township’s referendum, it’s been very quiet around here,” said organizer Brian Dolinar. “Even the language of the referendum has been very vague so we’re trying to educate the public about what the township office does and why it needs to be fully funded.”

The march began at the township office at the corner of Green and Randolph and advanced through downtown Champaign.

The tax dollars will generate about $300,000 to be used for those receiving monthly grants from the government. To qualify for these grants, one must collect less than $3,000 a year, said township supervisor Linda Abernathy.

“I believe we stand on the dawn of a new day,” Abernathy said in an opening speech. “We have hope and not hopelessness. We are bound together for a common concern for each other. This Unity March is an urgent priority among us.”

Champaign citizen Susan Parenti was among the hundreds supporting poverty reform.

“Unity March has been a tradition here to combine people from the white and black communities,” Parenti said. “The annual real-estate tax to bring in programs to help the poor is being debunked by Champaign.”

Marchers carried signs and wooden doves to visualize their emotions. A few signs read “$700 billion for bankers but $0 for the poor?” and “Champaign Cares About Feeding the Poor.”

Groups sponsoring the march included Central Illinois Jobs with Justice, School for Desiging a Society and University Coalition of Trades and Labor Unions. Among politicians in attendance was Champaign Mayor Gerald Schweighart.

“I’m pleased to see Champaign citizens come out and show their support,” Schweighart said.

Champaign was listed as one of 74 counties in the state to have poverty on the rise, Abernathy said.

General assistance, the government funding used to support dire poverty, was cut back years ago. Urbana has assigned eight times as much money to poverty funding in comparison to Champaign, said organizer Randall Cotton.

Marchers were able to grab the attention of bystanders by chanting “They’ve got money for war, but none for the poor” and “They get billions for Wall Street, but none of our street.”

“I know people are going to the football games today, and that’s very nice,” Parenti said. “But this is much more important. This is an American activity. This is what Americans do. We don’t kick people when they’re down.”