Fancy yourself a future competitor for the Hot Pepper Challenge?

How about giving it a whirl and lending a helping hand at the same time?

A local organization in Troy is ready to see if you have what it takes.

Capital Roots kicked off its Hot Pepper Challenge this week, and everyone in the community can participate.

All you have to do is take a video of yourself eating a hot pepper of your choice, post it on social media and explain why you're participating.

When you're done, tag two friends to participate using using the hashtag "Hot Pepper Challenge."

The goal is to raise awareness about the need for healthy food access in underserved communities, an issue that's been the focus of community efforts since the pandemic began.

"Fresh food access has always been an important issue, but during the pandemic, it really showed a spotlight on this issue," said Amy Klein, CEO of Capital Roots.

For more information about the hot pepper challenge, visit the Capital Roots website.