Inspire your community to look at hunger in a whole new way
Do you want to make a lasting difference in your community and in the world? Consider hosting an Oxfam Hunger Banquet event.
For 50 years, Oxfam Hunger Banquet events have been serving up life-changing experiences. Guests of these interactive events randomly select characters whose shoes they step into for the course of the event. These characters have names and represent real people living in low-income, middle-income, or high-income countries, and guests are served a meal reflective of what someone in that income category could afford to eat.
This one meal can change the way a whole community thinks about the issue of hunger. That might sound like an exaggeration, but it’s something we have heard time and time again from people who have attended an Oxfam Hunger Banquet event.
“People might come to an event for class credit or to support the organizers, and you will see their minds shift,” said Nancy Delaney, a former Oxfam staff member who oversaw the Hunger Banquet program for 20 years. “By the time it’s over, they are raising their hands and talking about how their perspectives have changed.”
Not convinced yet? Here are five reasons you should host a Hunger Banquet event:
1. You will raise awareness about inequality, the most pressing issue of our time.
When someone attends a Hunger Banquet event, their status is determined by the character they pick out of a basket. That shapes everything about their experience, and it is a powerful demonstration of how in the real world, the income level a person is born into is a game of chance.
2. You’ll be a crucial part of a 50-year movement to end world hunger.
The very first Hunger Banquet events in 1974 brought together 250,000 participants nationwide. Since then, more than 950,000 people have attended a Hunger Banquet event, and most of these events have been led by volunteers like you.
3. You can use the Hunger Banquet as an experiential education tool.
Many of our organizers build the Hunger Banquet into their annual lesson plans or campus activity calendars. The Hunger Banquet toolkit is a great resource that will help illuminate inequality in a tangible and emotional way. Included in the toolkit are tips for modifying these events to fit your audience size and prompts to engage participants of all ages in thought-provoking discussions.
4. You will have an active role in fighting hunger and injustice
People who attend these events are moved to take actions themselves. At your event, you can choose to collect donations, whether that’s for Oxfam or a cause that’s close to your heart. Some people who attend Hunger Banquets become inspired to host their own event, and in this way, you are multiplying people’s awareness of global issues.
5. It’s simple and we’re here to help!
You can access everything you need to plan and execute your own Hunger Banquet event on our website. All of these materials are available to download for free. All you need to do is register to get started.
Still have questions? Oxfam’s Hunger Banquet team is happy to answer them. Email our team at [email protected].