About 20 students from Boston-area schools walked yesterday to ease the plight of the hungry in a fundraising event organized by a Harvard student.

The Boston Schools Walk for Hunger, coordinated by Eliot House resident Hans C. Canosa '93, took participants five kilometers down the banks of the Charles.

"I really wanted to organize a student walk for hunger where we got together people from all different schools," Canosa said.

Canosa estimated that the event raised $3,000 to $5,000, based on pledges.

Canosa said he organized his event to complement a similar walk in the spring. He said that for a first-time undertaking, the Sunday afternoon turnout was good.

"It was a little less than we were hoping for,but we learned a lot this time so that we can bemore successful next year." Canosa said.

The money raised will be divided between OxFamAmerica, an international hunger aid organization,and anti-hunger programs at Boston schools.

Prizes donated by local businesses will beawarded to the students who raise the most money,with the biggest money-raiser receiving aMacintosh SE personal computer. Other incentivesinclude a 20-inch stereo color television and astereo VCR.

According to Eliot resident Caitlin J. Anderson'95, who worked the registration table during theevent, participants came from not only Harvard,but also Tufts, MIT and Cambridge Rindge and LatinSchool.

Canosa and Anderson say they have already begunplanning a walk for next fall and hope to gatherfaculty backers in the spring