HUNGER BANQUET

How many of us actually acknowledge the hunger that surrounds us? It is a national and worldwide issue, but it hits close to home as well, right in Rochester, NY. It is scary to think, but it can really happen to anyone. The Hunger Banquet is a diversity event put on by the Office of Multicultural Affairs and Diversity at St. John Fisher College. When students walk in they are given a ticket that tells them whether they are now a part of the poor, middle, or elite class. The poor have to eat rice on the floor, the middle class gets chairs and a table to eat their rice and beans at, and then the elite get served a five course meal complete with sparkling grape juice and dessert.

When there are six people eating a five course meal, ten people at the tables and thirty some students trying to make themselves comfortable on the floor everyone in attendance can’t help but to see the major problem here. The problem is that while people eat more than they can handle others are trying to choose between a meal and paying their utilities; most of the time utilities get paid first. We all watched a video that exposed these facts about homeless that also included that people that are suffering from hunger do own their own houses, graduate from high school, sometimes even college, have jobs, but they still struggle to be able to get the proper nutrients that the body needs to keep going for themselves and their families. It is a reality that just by looking at someone or being friends with them you may not know what really goes on in their lives.

The Hunger Banquet raised awareness also by having a representative from FoodLink come to speak about how they help to fight local hunger by donating food and goods to food banks, pantries, etc. SJFC was able to gather a table full of food to send this rep back to FoodLink with too, which is even better! Their motto is “volunteer, donate, advocate,” which I am proud to say St. John Fisher College does an awesome job of making sure this is their motto too.

Until next time….Later!

Lindsey