7th Annual OxFam Hunger Banquet: May The Odds Be In Your Favor

Thursday, Nov. 9, the Center for Diversity and Inclusion is hosting their annual OxFam Hunger Banquet in the Lower Level Z-6. OxFam America was created in the 1970s, originating from Great Britain, to bring attention to the plight of chronic hunger and food insecurities.

The OxFam Hunger Banquet is an interactive and engaging program where each person who attends is an actual participant. Since its creation, the banquet has been adopted by different synagogues, churches, organizations and different universities. The event focuses on socioeconomic status and the different opportunities and non-opportunities given depending on your assigned status.

“My favorite part is when people gain the knowledge to understand this is an actual problem,” said Nathaniel Flory, CDI graduate assistant. “Some people like to think Diversity and Inclusion is just culture, gender, race and ethnicity or sexual orientation, but they tend to forget socioeconomic status is a part of that.”

Organizations supporting this event includes but is not limited to, Dine West, who will be providing the food for this event, Center for Student Involvement, Housing & Residence Life, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., the Latino Cultural Society, Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc., Black Student Alliance and many more.

The Banquet is not just a closed campus event, it is open to the entire Carrollton Community.

“We invite everyone to come out to see what it means and support individuals experiencing chronic hunger and food insecurities,” said Deirdre Haywood-Rouse, Director of the Center for Diversity and Inclusion. “This is a worldwide problem, in terms of locally, statewide, regionwide and nationwide. We have students at the University of West Georgia who sometimes do not have food. They may be in school and they may be able to go to class, but they don’t have food to eat.”

Community partners include the Carroll County league of Women Voters and the Carroll County Soup Kitchen. Although the event is free, the CDI is asking everyone to donate any canned good that they might have. Each donation will be donated to the Carroll County Soup Kitchen.

The CDI encourages anyone who wants to see life and different situation through a different lens to come to the banquet. If any student is suffering from chronic hunger or food insecurities, can anonymously contact patient advocates in health services who will help you locate the appropriate resources.