University raises awareness of global hunger
Christina Heiser,Editor-in-Chief
Issue date: 10/28/09 Section: News
St. John's is gearing up for Hunger Awareness Month, which starts Nov. 1. The events planned throughout the month are sponsored by different departments within the University, including Campus Ministry, Multicultural Affairs and the Department of Student Wellness.
"Our hope is that with Hunger Awareness Month events and activities, that there are more opportunities for students to be engaged and more discussion about global poverty issues," said Widian Nicola, resident campus minister for social justice, who is in charge of two of the events.
"We want to make sure and offer opportunities for growth in this area, in more simulating ways-really capture the heart of the work we're doing and get them [students] involved. Because I think that's what student engagement is, it's really student driven," she added.
One of the events that Nicola is involved with is the Hunger Banquet, which will be held Nov. 12 from 7-10 p.m. in the UC Commons. Nicola said students will get placed in one of three categories: the underdeveloped world, the developing world or the developed world. The amount of food that they get to eat will depend on what category they are placed in.
Nicola spoke about what she hoped students would take away from participating in the Hunger Banquet.
"The people that we're trying to capture in this experience aren't going to have the option of going to Montgoris after, or Marillac."
Janet Kalish, a member of a group called Freegans, will be the guest speaker at the Hunger Banquet. Freegans are a group of individuals who get most of their food "dumpster diving," said Nicola.
"A lot of the stuff that they find is stuff you would never know was fresh from a dumpster," she added.
Another event Nicola is overseeing is the Pig Out for Poverty, taking place Nov. 17. Nicola said the Pig Out for Poverty event was initiated in a high school in New Jersey, when a few of the students started collecting money from other students during lunch and donating it to Catholic Relief Services. That money went to buy livestock for families across the globe. Nicola contacted the school to find out more about the program, which had been called Dime a Day.
"Our hope is that with Hunger Awareness Month events and activities, that there are more opportunities for students to be engaged and more discussion about global poverty issues," said Widian Nicola, resident campus minister for social justice, who is in charge of two of the events.
"We want to make sure and offer opportunities for growth in this area, in more simulating ways-really capture the heart of the work we're doing and get them [students] involved. Because I think that's what student engagement is, it's really student driven," she added.
One of the events that Nicola is involved with is the Hunger Banquet, which will be held Nov. 12 from 7-10 p.m. in the UC Commons. Nicola said students will get placed in one of three categories: the underdeveloped world, the developing world or the developed world. The amount of food that they get to eat will depend on what category they are placed in.
Nicola spoke about what she hoped students would take away from participating in the Hunger Banquet.
"The people that we're trying to capture in this experience aren't going to have the option of going to Montgoris after, or Marillac."
Janet Kalish, a member of a group called Freegans, will be the guest speaker at the Hunger Banquet. Freegans are a group of individuals who get most of their food "dumpster diving," said Nicola.
"A lot of the stuff that they find is stuff you would never know was fresh from a dumpster," she added.
Another event Nicola is overseeing is the Pig Out for Poverty, taking place Nov. 17. Nicola said the Pig Out for Poverty event was initiated in a high school in New Jersey, when a few of the students started collecting money from other students during lunch and donating it to Catholic Relief Services. That money went to buy livestock for families across the globe. Nicola contacted the school to find out more about the program, which had been called Dime a Day.
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