The Muhlenberg Weekly

Issue date: 11/19/09 Section: News

Media Credit: Sara Beitman Former homeless panelists and attending students at the Faces of Homelessness Panel.

Did you know that in the United States, one in every two hundred people is homeless? These issues were explored during Hunger and Homelessness Awareness week, which began on Mon., Nov. 16. The week features speakers, panels, and demonstrations to bring about awareness on the state of world hunger, the amount of people who experience homeless, and the issues that they face. The week-long event has been heavily advertised around campus with flyers depicting soup cans displaying the information regarding the upcoming events. As members of the Muhlenberg community walked into Seegers, they were met with members of S.H.A.R.E. (Students Have A Real Effect) and Oxfam, tabling. They wore signs with facts about world hunger, and sat with a small bowl of food, illustrating how certain portions of the world's population only have a meager amount of food per day. This small demonstration was a preview for one of the week's biggest event, the Hunger Banquet, which occured on Wed., Nov. 18 at 7pm in the Great Room.

The Hunger Banquet was hosted by the new branch of Oxfam America at the College, an organization that has been steadily attracting attention on campus. Oxfam works to bring about lasting change in communities and strives to influence the privilaged to provide a way for poor people to improve their lives and have a say in decisions that affect them. The premise that the organization is built on is the idea that a respect for human rights will pave the way to an end of poverty. The Hunger Banquet will provide a look into the state of world hunger and poverty. Upon entrance to the banquet, each person was given a random status that represented which class they fell into. They then got to eat a certain amount of food based on that status. A privilaged few had a full meal, some had more meager portions, and others barely had anything to eat. The proportions were based on the actual proportions of each class globally. This provided participants with a concrete idea of just how many hungry people there are in the world.

Andalisa Lopez '12, a member of OxFam, says that she hoped the event "increased awareness and that people will be motivated to do something." For those students who were inspired by the event to take action, there will be opportunities presented. There was a table with a sign-up sheet for those who were willing to make a pledge to educate ten people about world hunger and poverty, and to raise one hundred dollars for the cause. For those that made the pledge, there will also be opportunities to join Oxfam to work together with a group of motivated individuals to bring awareness to the campus and to raise money for the cause.

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