Arts, Dining & Entertainment

CSJ invites Rutland community to see hunger in a new way

Wednesday, Nov. 18 at 6 p.m. — RUTLAND — College of St. Joseph invites the community out for a night of food, discussion and an interactive simulation that explores the connections between poverty and hunger as part of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week.

Did you know that out of the seven billion people in the world today, nearly one billion of them go to bed hungry every single night?

On Wednesday, Nov. 18 at 6 p.m., College of St. Joseph will hold its first Hunger Banquet, a new perspective on what the statistics surrounding food security are really about, and why they’re hard to swallow.

“For more than 40 years, Oxfam America has used the Hunger Banquet as a tool to raise awareness and education around the issue of hunger, both locally and abroad. The event invites you to look at hunger in a whole new way, through a direct hands-on simulation,” said CSJ’s Community Engagement Coordinator Meggan Lloyd.

Guests will learn more about who is hungry throughout the world, and why food insecurity is still happening in 2015.

Approximately 842 million people suffer from chronic hunger worldwide – more than the population of the U.S., Canada and European Union combined. The majority of the world’s hungry and poor are farmers, herders, fishers or laborers who have often settled in rural communities. Also, it’s women in these parts of the developing word who are responsible for food production, despite having limited access to markets, land and credit and the added responsibility of caring for children. The goal of the hunger banquet is to better understand the importance of building a stronger global food system.

College of St. Joseph welcomes John Sayles, CEO of Vermont Foodbank, as the evening’s keynote speaker, who will explore hunger in Vermont and what the Foodbank is doing to alleviate the burden for families and children across the state. The event will be held on the CSJ campus in St. Joseph Hall, Room 105. The college is accepting donations on behalf of Vermont Foodbank at the door, and the event is open to the entire community.

“The event is unforgettable and moving; a visual demonstration of the everyday life of countless individuals around the world,” Lloyd said. “Join us as we honor National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week by hosting this inaugural Hunger Banquet.”

Where will you be invited to sit?

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