A few weeks ago, the HOTC Youth Advisory Board hosted an awareness event around the issue of global and local hunger. The event, a Hunger Banquet, was a dinner that simulated and facilitated discussion around hunger and poverty. The event was thoughtful and inspiring, and we received a great deal of positive feedback. One of our Youth Advisory Board members offered the following reflection. Contact Abby at abby@handsontwincities.org for more information about the Hunger Banquet or the Youth Advisory Board.

When I initially think of Hunger as an issue, my mind immediately wonders to a child in Africa. Hunger is often times solely associated with Sub-Saharan Africa and because of this, I fail to look past the massive hunger issue in Africa to the issue of hunger in other countries.

Thanks to the Hunger Banquet put on by the HandsOn Twin Cities Youth Advisory Board, I learned about hunger as it relates to villages in Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan.  With the OxFam Hunger Banquet, I was able to see learn about the stories of real people and their struggles with hunger. Putting names, not just a generic picture, to the issue of hunger is quite moving.

Along with learning about hunger on a global level, Ted Evans from the Emergency Food Shelf Network talked out hunger on a local scale.  His presentation really hit home, especially with his specific stories about people, and when he had pictures I was, to say simply, quite astonished. I also found it interesting that a donation of cash will go further than a donation of food in terms of the amount of people it will help.  Now that is not to say that individual donations aren’t helpful, cash is just helpful in ways individual donations are not.

All in all, what a fantastic night filled with rice, beans, education, and great conversation it was. I would strongly encourage all you, if given the opportunity, to participate in a Hunger Banquet. It’s a great way to learn about hunger on a personal level and engage oneself in the fight to end hunger.

Peace,

Clara Dockter, member of the HandsOn Twin Cities Youth Advisory Board