CSC hosts fifth annual Oxfam Hunger Banquet

The Oxfam Hunger Banquet is an awareness event focused on educating attendees on food insecurity and hunger.

Upon arrival, each guest received a character card, breaking them into low, middle, and high classes based on the global statistics for income. About half of the guests were assigned to the low-income group and traveled to the farthest corner of the room to serve themselves water and rice, and ate while sitting on the floor. The 30 guests representing middle class traveled a shorter distance to serve themselves water, rice, and beans. The group was seated at a crowded table. The 20 guests in the high-income group were served a multiple-course meal with ample seat space and lavish table arrangements.

Throughout the event, guests were informed of different statistics and food insecurity. Guest speaker Erin Norman, assistant professor of Family and Consumer Sciences and a registered dietitian, said creative thinking skills are needed when working with food insecurities, especially with children.

Guest speaker Karen Eisenbarth, CEO of Northwest Community Action Partnership, shared that those with food insecurity are not always jobless but often hard-working people who face various adversities, such as being underemployed. Eisenbarth also provided names of local assistance programs, including Closer to Home and Feed a Hungry Senior.

CSC student Devin Fulton of Glenrock, Wyoming, served as an emcee for the event and said the group hopes attendees developed a perspective of what families go through from high to low class.

“We hope that the crowd took away some information that was insightful about food insecurity surrounding our nation,” Fulton said.

A total of 158 canned goods and nonperishable food items were donated by attendees and given to a local food pantry.